Eye OF The Storm
by Phoenix Hoshika
Summary: ...you're alive..." Did the words Honda Tohru speak to Sohma Akito that day truly cause a change in his heart? Can poison ever become clean water? With the appearance of a new addition to Shigure's home only time will if that change is permanent or if it
1. The New Girl

Disclaimer/ Author's Note: If I owned Fruits Basket I would not be spending time writing fan fiction based on it. This is a labor of love that I am not profiting from and the only thing I'm getting out of it is joy of writing. The only thing I claim in this fiction is a new main character introduced here; Keiko Yamada. Keiko is an original character of my very own creation and is mine and mine alone.

Eye of the Storm

By

Phoenix Hoshika

Chapter 1; The New Girl

_"Hello, my name is Honda Tohru. For a couple of years I've been living with the Sohma family. Though I never regretted moving in with them it does get kind of lonely being the only girl in the home. Second, there is the matter of accidentally colliding into one of them and turning them into an animal from the Chinese zodiac legend. It sounds farfetched, I know but the three people I live with; Yuki, Shigure, and Kyou are all cursed with the vengeful spirits of the rat, dog, and cat. If someone of the opposite gender hugs them, or in my case bumps into one of them, they transform. _

_Well, as I was saying it can get little lonely being the only girl here. Sometimes their female relatives stop by but I find myself wishing that there was someone else here with me. It sounds pretty selfish of me to want more than the great home and new family I've come to care about so much, so I keep this to myself. I don't even tell my best friends Uo and Hana how I feel. They shouldn't have to worry about me because truthfully overall I'm happy living here._

Monday morning, the sky is clear and the sun is shining bright. Tohru stands out on the second floor ledge of Shigure's house looking up at the clear morning sky with a smile.

"Tohrukun, your going to be late for your on the first day of your last year in high school." Shigure calls out from the downstairs. Tohru gasps looking at her watch and runs downs the stairs.

"I'm so sorry." She says bowing to Yuki and Kyou.

"It's okay." Yuki says with smile."

"Yeah, don't worry about it, we have plenty of time to get to school." Kyou added. Tohru just smiled and went out the door with her two companions.

When they got to the building they were greeted by Hatsuharu and Momiji, two of Kyou and Yuki's relatives. Hatsuharu and Momiji too are cursed with animal spirits. Momiji turns into a bunny and Hatsuharu turns into an ox (cow). In addition to being cursed the ox's spirit Hatsuharu developed a split personality at a very young age. The two personalities are so different they are like night and day and the Sohma family has come to refer to the two personalities as black Haru and white Haru.

"Hey, Yuki! Kyou!" Momiji shouted waving to his two cousins in his usual cheery manner. "Hi, Tohru!" He said with a huge smile once the trio reached them.

"Hi Yuki." Hatsuharu said with a straight face practically floating over to greet him. Even though he really wanted to hug Yuki instead he just rested his hand on his shoulder. Yuki was a bit annoyed by Hatsuharu's greeting, but said nothing and allowed his cousin to continue to stand with his hand resting on his shoulder, not wanting to invoke the dissension of black Haru so early in the morning.

"What the Hell?" Kyou exclaimed seeing Momiji yet again dressed in a girl's school uniform. Though Momiji wasn't wearing a skirt it was still obvious he was wearing the standard uniform for female students. "Do you plan to go through high school dressed like that?"

"I'll wear the boy's uniform next year, but for now this uniform still looks good on me." Momiji said in his defense.

"I don't see anything wrong with it." Hatsuharu added.

_"You wouldn't." _Yuki thought eyeing the usual three to four necklaces Hatsuharu seemed to wear each day without fail.

"And you, still with those things dangling from your neck." Kyou continued getting worked up even more.

"I like them." Hatsuharu said defensively.

"Kyou, let's just leave them be." Yuki said trying to calm the situation before it turned ugly.

"Who asked you, ya damn rat!" Kyou spat, his orange hair standing on end.

"Don't cause a scene outside the school, you stupid cat." Yuki said in what could be perceived as a calm tone, but the look on his face said otherwise.

"I'll cause a scene alright, by pounding your face into the pavement!" Kyou yelled rolling up his sleeves. "Let's go!"

"Don't be ridiculous, you stupid cat. You couldn't beat me in a million years."

"We'll see about that!" Kyou said taking a step foreword.

"Shut up." Hatsuharu said finally removing his hand from Yuki's shoulder and turning to face Kyou. "Don't say another word you dumbass cat." Tohru's and Yuki's faces both went blank, Black Haru had descended yet again. "You have no right to go challenging Yuki when you have yet to defeat me."

"You filthy little brat," Kyou yelled. "You talk big but you ain't got the power to back it up. What happened to that rematch you promised me huh?"

"You ran the hell away with your tail between your legs, remember?" Hatsuharu retorted.

"Who ran the hell away?"

"You did, like the puss you are!"

"That's it! I'm gonna kick your ass!" Kyou yelled lunging forward.

"Finally some action!" Hatsuharu said with a crazed smile on his face as he took a fighting stance.

"This is stupid, I'm going to class." Yuki said turning to Tohru. "Hondasan, you shouldn't hang around or you'll be terribly late waiting for them to finish."

"Yeah, Haru seems really mad at Kyou." Momiji chimed in while sucking on a lolly-pop. "But if you want to stay and watch I've got plenty of candy.

"Shouldn't someone stop them?" Tohru questioned with a quivering voice.

"Nah, they'll work it out. Besides neither one of them has landed a single punch, see." Momiji said turning their attention back to the fight. Just as he said those words Kyou was just about to land the first blow when Hatsuharu walked way.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!" Kyou yelled.

"I don't have time for this right now she's coming."

"Who? What?" Kyou said still in utter disbelief that Hatsuharu walked away from the fight.

The group continued to watch as Hatsuharu made his way over to a very attractive female student that was just coming around the corner toward the school. The girl had a tan complexion and very long jet black hair that she currently wore in a ponytail that swayed behind her as she walked. The front of her hair was cut into bangs that gracefully curved her face, bringing attention to her flawless skin.

"Hey sweetheart," Hatsuharu started still not quite himself, "let me walk you to class."

"Um, if you insist." The girl agreed with a sweat drop coming down the side of her head.

"I don't believe it." Yuki uttered under his breath.

"That's Yamada Keiko, rumor has it that she just transferred here from a high school in Osaka." Momiji said after removing the lolly-pop from his mouth. "She's hot, isn't she, Yuki?" Momiji said elbowing his cousin who was standing with his mouth open.

"Why are you asking me?" Yuki questioned.

"Cause you were staring at her." Momiji replied.

"I wasn't staring at her like how you're implying."

"Yes, you were." Momiji said with a laugh. "Yuki's got the hots for the new girl." Momiji sung.

"Momiji stop saying things that aren't true, especially things like that." Yuki said obviously agitated.

"Then why are you blushing?" Momiji asked.

"Because you're embarrassing me!" Yuki responded turning away from the group.

_"Wow, I never seen Yuki blush before." _Tohru thought smiling to herself. As the group started walking to class turning around Tohru noticed that Kyou had not budged.

"Aren't you coming Kyoukun?" Tohru asked as she watched Kyou stare angrily at Hatsuharu and Keiko.

"Yeah, I'm coming. I just want to keep an eye on those two. You know Haru's out of control when he gets like this."

"That's so noble of you Kyoukun." Tohru said with a starry look in her eyes.

"You know what?" Keiko said just as she and Hatsuharu passed Kyou and Tohru on the sidewalk. "I really have to go to the restroom so you should go on to class." Keiko sweetly suggested.

"I don't mind the wait. Instead, how about I just go to the restroom with you." Hatsuharu said with a mischievous smile, but before Keiko could react Kyou punched Hatsuharu down to the ground and in doing so appearing to be a knight to the rescue in Keiko's eyes.

"Thank you." Keiko said graciously.

"No… problem…" Kyou said huffing and puffing as he tried to regain his breath. A second later Tohru was repeatedly bowing to Keiko apologizing on Hatsuharu's behalf.

"Um, uh, I'm really sorry about this." Tohru said not sure how to excuse Hatsuharu's _unusual _behavior. "He usually doesn't act like this. He just gets carried away sometimes. I hope you don't look on him badly because of this and I'm sure if you give him another chance-"

"I'm sorry." Hatsuharu said getting up off the ground now in his right state of mind. "Please, forgive my vulgar behavior and allow me to escort you to class." Hatsuharu followed up with a low bow in his best attempt to apologize and save face.

"Um, that's quite alright." Keiko said dashing off.

"She ran away." Tohru commented.

"You mean she was scared the hell off." Kyou corrected.

"Do you think I still have a chance with her?" Hatsuharu asked causing a deep silence to fall over the group.

"I think I heard the chime, we better get to class." Tohru said walking away with Kyou close behind.

At the end of school Tohru, Yuki, and Kyou were coming out of their last class together to find a huge crowd standing in the middle of the hall way.

"What's going on?" Kyou asked not really expecting to hear a sufficient answer as to why he could not pass through the hall.

"Let's just go around." Yuki said even though he wanted to go join the crowd. Though Kyou was annoyed he also had a curious look on his face.

_"Yukikun and Kyoukun look as if they want to see what's going on, but with everyone huddled together like that it would be to easy for them to run into a girl and transform." _Tohru thought. "I'll go see what's going on." Tohru said cheerful as she trotted off.

After squeezing her way through the throng of students Tohru could see that at the center of the crowd was Keiko.

"You really were in France for thirteen years?" A male student asked excitedly.

"Un." Keiko answered.

"That's so cool!" A female student squealed and the crowd buzzed even more with questions.

"So, can you speak French fluently?" Another female student asked.

"Yup, that's right and while my family was there I also learned how to speak English and Spanish.

"Oh, wow! The student responded. "Could you teach me sometime?"

"Maybe." Keiko responded. "Now if you please excuse me." Keiko said attempting to walk away, but the crowd followed her straight out the door.

"What was that all about?" Kyou asked walking up to Tohru who was the only person left over from the crowd.

"Yamadasan seems to have become very popular." Tohru reported.

"Geez, that must be annoying." Kyou said looking on as the crowd continued to follow Keiko.

"I think it's nice." Yuki said with a cheerful tone though he was feeling a little jealous. "It's nice that Yamadasan can make so many friends in the first day at a new school.

"Yes." Tohru agreed happily.

"Yeah, well who cares." Kyou said walking on leaving Tohru and Yuki dumbfounded. "You coming or what?" Kyou said looking over his shoulder directing his question toward Tohru.

"You don't like Yamadasan?" Tohru asked.

"What? It's not like that!" Kyou said obviously upset by the question. "I don't even know her so how can I not like her? Besides all I mean is that more than likely most of those people could care less about getting to know her, they're just curious because she's new that's all."

"Oh, ok." Tohru said understanding Kyou's explanation for his indifferent comment. "How about we try to get to know her better then?" Tohru suggested taking Kyou's hand. Yuki saw the motion and as innocent as it was he couldn't help but feel a the wave of jealousy wash over him.

"That's a good idea, Hondasan." Yuki said perfectly concealing his envy as he came to Tohru's side and took her other hand. As the three walked home as they usually did from school Yuki stared over at Kyou disdainfully. Kyou wasn't paying attention, he was too busy hoping that the pace would pick up so they could get home faster. He honestly had rather not held Tohru's hand all the way home; a fraction of that being because of the stares the trio received from passersby on the street, but mostly because at that moment their hands seemed to seething with sweat. Despite that fact that this really grossed him out Kyou continued to hold Tohru's hand so that he wouldn't hurt her feelings.

"Ooh, a love triangle." Shigure said as the three approached the porch.

"Uh, no, it's not like that!" Tohru said snatching her hands away and turning beat red.

"Why would you suddenly go saying something like that?" Kyou yelled his face also red.

"Stop encouraging him, stupid cat." Yuki said with a composed face.

"You wanna go?" Kyou said turning his attention to Yuki.

"Yes, let's." Yuki said loosing his collar and rolling up his sleeves.

"You asked for it!" Kyou yelled throwing a punch that was blocked and would have been followed up with a powerful kick, but Kyou managed to block Yuki's leg with his arm then grab it, catching Yuki by surprise.

"That ain't going to save you this time rat boy." Kyou said smiling as he went to punch Yuki with his free hand, but Yuki caught his fist causing Kyou to fall forward. With Yuki trying to balance on one leg they both fell to the ground and were rolling in the dirt still punching at each other. The two were very skilled in the martial arts for their age and such rag-tag fighting was a rarity caused by them both being caught off guard by the events of their latest fight, but within seconds the two were off the ground going at it again. Kyou went for another punch and it was block this time as well and quickly followed up with a slap and then a kick which sent him flying into the air then falling to the ground.

"Not in a million years." Yuki said walking into the house. Kyou was too embarrassed to get up and just lied on the ground fuming.

"Looks like you almost had him, Kyoukun." Shigure shouted to his younger cousin. "…but not quite." Shigure added. At that last comment Kyou got up and ran off into the woods surrounding their home.

"Shiguresan…" Tohru said, standing beside him, still in disbelief at how Shigure could be so cheery in his cruelty.

"Anyways, Tohrukun, didn't you have to go to work today." Shigure said.

Looking down at her watch Tohru gasps. "Oh, no! I'm going to be late!" Tohru exclaimed running off so that she could make it to her part-time job on time.

As Tohru approached the building were she worked she could see Keiko across the across the street carrying what appeared to be a giant knapsack. Curious as to what Keiko was up to Tohru continued staring, but reminded herself as to why she was running and continued on.

The next day in P.E. the class was doing track. The girls raced first. Keiko proved to be the fastest running among all the girls in the school.

"Amazing, Yamadasan tied with Sohmasan's record." The P.E. teacher said. Keiko was on the track stretching after her run and as soon as she heard what the teacher said she ran over to him in the blink of an eye.

"Sensei, who is Sohmasan?" Keiko asked eagerly.

"That's him over there. Sohma Yuki, you and he hold the fastest track time in the school." The teacher said gesturing toward his location. Yuki was standing off by the bleachers just finishing up stretching and was filing onto the track with the other male students. Keiko caught sight of him and shot a completive glare at him.

"Excuse me." The teacher said going over to start the boy's race. Feeling as if he were being watched Yuki looks about and sees Keiko's intense stare. Before anyone can notice the glare she was giving him she smiles and waves. Yuki waves back not knowing what else to do. Keiko walks away still smiling. The situation leaves Yuki feeling a little unsteady.

After the race a good majority of the students clear the scene leaving only a handful standing around idly chit-chatting instead of rushing to class. Yuki and Tohru were among the few still left, along with the one of the member's of the Sohma Yuki fan club spying on the two. Tohru and Yuki were having a conversation about the "secret base" when Keiko walked up.

"Sohma Yuki." Keiko said in a commanding tone.

"Yes." Yuki said curious as to why the girl was addressing him.

"I challenge you!"

"To what?" Yuki asked curiously.

"A race Sohma Yuki. It has to be settled. One of us is the fastest and the only way to find out who is to race. So, Sohmasan, do you accept my challenge?"

"I'm sorry but I-" Yuki started to decline but was cut short.

"Coward!" Keiko said turning away. "Are you so afraid of being beaten by a woman that you'd turn down a challenge?"

"No, I'm just sure you're much faster than I am-"

"Don't try to hide your sarcasm with an innocent tone." Keiko ordered.

"You're right, I'm sorry."

"Meet me here after school." Keiko said flatly and walked away. Tohru was taken back by Keiko's appearance.

"She didn't even introduce herself…" Tohru said.

After school Yuki meet Keiko on the track as instructed.

"You sure took your sweet time." Keiko said seeming to appear out of nowhere startling Yuki.

"I had a student council meeting." Yuki said solemnly while trying to figure out a way to get Keiko to like him. He never encountered anyone accept for Kyou that seemed to take such a disliking to him. In retrospect it was an oddity that a girl in particular would seem to take such a disliking toward Yuki. If it wasn't his attractive appearance it was his warming personality, so to say, that won them over.

"Even so I'm not the only one you've kept waiting." Keiko said pointing over her should with her thumb towards the bleachers where the three remaining Sohma Yuki fan club members were hiding, the lens of their camcorder glinted in the light of the setting sun. "Well, let's get this over with before it gets dark out." Keiko said turning on her heals toward the bleachers. "Hey you!" She yelled causing the girls to jump out their hiding spot.

"How did you know we here?" Their current president asked still shaking.

"Your vibes…" Keiko stated with a mischievous smile. "We need someone to keep time." Keiko said walking over to Member No.1 and handing her the stop watch. "You better not pull anything sneaky." Keiko said before releasing the watch.

"Yes, ma'am." The girl said earnestly though she was scared that if she did Keiko would do something to her.

"Are you ready?" Keiko asked Yuki once she returned to the track.

"Yes." Yuki answered.

"Don't you dare think of holding back just because I'm a girl." Keiko said taking position beside Yuki on the track. "It wouldn't be a fair race if we both didn't do our best." Keiko said and for a second there was a break in her tough girl facade, but only for second. "You don't give it your best that only proves how frightened you are to be beaten by girl even when giving it all you have. If you hold back on me you'll be lower than coward, you'd be a rat." Keiko said lighting a fire inside Yuki.

"Ready, set, go!" Member No.1 shouted triggering the stop watch. At go the two took off tearing around the track at top speed. The terms of the race were to go twenty laps and who ever made to the finish line first would be the winner. At the beginning Keiko and Yuki were head to head, but as the race went one Yuki fell behind a few paces. By the nineteenth lap Yuki had falling terribly behind and the fan club girls where biting their nails hoping he'd somehow catch up and beat Keiko, but instead he collapsed on the field. Just before getting to the finish line Keiko came to sudden stop and ran across the track to Yuki who was laying on the ground.

"Sohmasan, Sohmasan, answer me. Are you ok?" Keiko called showing genuine concern as she checked his pulse and held the back of her hand over her hand over his nose and mouth. _"He's not breathing!" _Keiko thought then quickly turned him on his back and tilted his head up.

"YUKI!" The fan club girl shrieked running over to him.

"Don't just stand there squawking call an ambulance!" Keiko yelled at the frantic group of girls then turned her attention back to the unconscious Yuki. Placing one hand under his chin and closing his nose with the other Keiko took a deep breath and exhaled into Yuki's mouth. The frantic fan club girls regained their composer only to stand staring with their mouths wide open as Keiko performed CPR on their beloved prince. Keiko went through the process five more times before Yuki came to gasping.

"Thank God." Keiko exhaled sitting back on her knees until she noticed the fan club girls were still there gawking. Standing up Keiko marched over to them angrily. "Why are all three of you still here? One of you should have went to call for an ambulance instead of standing here staring like a bunch of idiots. Some fan club you are. You three can't even do the simplest things to save your prince. You losers make me sick." Keiko said walking back over to Yuki who was too busy coughing to notice what was going on only a few yards away.

"Are you ok?" Keiko asked kneeling down beside Yuki.

"Yes.., I'm… fine." Yuki answered between coughs, his heart pounding.

"Relax, take it easy." Keiko coached. Turning to the fan club girls she gave them an angry glare.

"We're going to call an ambulance right away." The vice president said.

"Don't…!" Yuki said still struggling to breath. "I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" The girl asked.

"Yes, Yamadasan saved me." Yuki said with a smile finally able to breath. The three girls turned white and ran away heart broken.

"Thank you." Yuki said to Keiko.

"No problem." Keiko assured flashing the victory sign.

After taking a shower Keiko waited for Yuki outside the boy's locker room.

"Yamadasan!" Yuki said surprised to see her standing there.

"What? Did you think I was so heartless that I won't stick around to make sure you were ok?" Keiko asked dejectedly. Yuki couldn't say a word because the truth is he didn't expect her to stay. "Normally I would never ask a guy this, but you don't mind if I walk you home do you?"

"You don't need to worry about me, Yamadasan. Thanks to you I'm fine." Yuki said then turned to walk away.

"Oh no you don't." Keiko said running in front of him to block his path.

"You can't just pass out like that in the middle of a race, stop breathing, then say that you're fine. Even if you are alright now do you know that people usually still see a doctor afterward? On top of that most people don't make it even if someone does CPR on them? Honestly it's a miracle that you're still alive."

"Yes, I am in your debt." Yuki said bowing.

"If that's the case you can pay me back by allowing me to walk you home." Keiko said cleverly.

"Ok." Yuki agreed.

On the way home he couldn't help but think about what Shigure would say when he arrived accompanied by Keiko.

As the two approached the house. They stopped in mid stride.

"What?" Keiko said. "Aren't you going to introduce me to everyone?" Yuki only nodded and opened the door.

"Welcome back, Yuki!" Ayame greeted in his usually loud manner. Yuki was dumbfounded to see his older brother in his home all of a sudden.

"Oh, well who is this lovely young lady?" Shigure asked catching sight of Keiko.

"Lovely indeed." Ayame said shooting her a lecherous glace.

"Is she your girlfriend?" Shigure asked.

"Shame on you cheating on Tohru." Ayame said pretending to be appalled.

"I'm not his girlfriend." Keiko said. "Why is that just because I'm a girl and happen to be with a boy, why would you think I'm his girlfriend. What if I were a boy, then what?"

"Well..-" Shigure started to comment but was cut off by a sudden outburst from Yuki.

"Don't say another word!" Yuki yelled fuming with anger.

"So what do we owe the pleasure?" Ayame asked Keiko leaning dangerously close to her face.

"Get away from her!" Yuki said punching him.

"Oh my, what jealousy." Ayame said laughing.

"Yes, do tell us why you're here won't you?" Shigure asked.

"Well actually I came home with Sohmasan because he passed out on the track."

"What?" Tohru said excitedly suddenly appearing. "Are you hurt? Are you ok?" She franticly asked feeling his forehead for signs of a fever.

"No, Yamadasan took care of it." Yuki answered.

"Took care of it?" Kyou asked popping onto the scene.

"Well when he passed out Sohmasan wasn't breathing so I had to give him CPR." Keiko answered.

"Keiko our angel of life." Shigure said fluttering around.

"So what was it like, Yuki?" Ayame asked.

"What do you mean?" Yuki asked with an uneasy feeling.

"What was like to feel the warmth of a woman's lips pressed against your own?" Ayame rephrased. If no one knew any better they would have sworn Yuki had been shot, he doubled back nearly falling on his backside.

"It wasn't like that!" He yelled standing up straight.

"Today will be the day of Yuki's first kiss!" Ayami shouted.

"What are you talking about?" Yuki said fuming.

"Yes, yes, a celebration!" Shigure said locking arms with Ayame and dancing around.

Knowing his family something like that would happen. Yuki stopped walking and put his hand to his forehead as he felt a sudden surge of pain shoot through it.

"Huh? What are you doing?" Keiko said noticing that Yuki was no longer beside her. "Are you ok?" She asked turning around and seeing him holding his head.

"It's nothing." Yuki replied, becoming embarrassed at what he was thinking.

"What are you really ok?" Keiko asked taking a closer look at his face and noticed that he was blushing.

"Really, it's nothing." Yuki insisted.

"Then why is your face all red?" Keiko asked leaning closer.

"It's nothing." Yuki repeated looking away.

"What was going through that brain of yours?" Keiko asked. "You're a little pervert aren't you?"

"No I'm not!" Yuki said becoming indignant.

"Yeah, I don't think so either, but I kind of almost rather that than you being embarrassed that you are being walked home by a girl." Keiko said with a smile. "Look, no one knows I'm walking home with you because I'm worried besides you so relax."

"You're right." Yuki said calming down. "One more thing."

"Yeah?"

"Could you not tell anyone about what happen this evening?"

"Are you sure that's the best idea?" Keiko questioned.

"Please, you can't say a word to anyone." Yuki said becoming unnecessarily aggressive with Keiko who slapped him for suddenly grabbing her by the shoulders. The slap seemed to echo in the air and the sound frightened a flock of birds in a nearby tree who took to the air as the sound resonated.

"I'm sorry." Yuki apologized lowing his head after a short pause which was used to recover from the sudden blow to his face. "I just don't want anyone to find out that I lost consciousness on the field today." Yuki said calming down. So, please keep this a secret.

"Well, if you feel that strongly about it, I won't tell anyone." Keiko agreed relenting to Yuki's request. _"If I didn't know better I'd say you were afraid of doctors Sohma Yukisan, but I can tell by the look in your eyes that it's something more, much more." _Keiko thought before addressing Yuki once more. "You know I can only speak for myself. What about those fan club girls?"

"Fan club girls?"

"The three girls that were on the field with us. Don't tell me you have no idea what I'm talking about!" Keiko said in disbelief. "You're the only boy in school that as his own fan club. I've only been there a couple of days and know this. Don't tell me you honestly had no clue."

"Actually…"

"Oh grief, you're hopeless. Have you taken a look in the mirror lately? Why else would practically every girl in school be drooling over you?"

"Drooling? Are you serious?"

"Playing the nice guy does help but mainly they're after you because of your looks."

"I really had no idea."

"He, he. Yeah right." Keiko said grinning. "Anyway, get a move on." Keiko said walking behind Yuki and pushing him. "It's bad enough I have to walk home alone, but if you don't get moving I'll be doing it in the dark."

"Right, let's get going then." Yuki said picking up the pace. A short time went by before Yuki spoke again. "Yamadasan-"

"Ugh! Don't call me "Yamada" or "san" it's annoying. Just call me Keikochan.

"But I don't want to seem too familiar." Yuki said slightly blushing.

"Oh get over it. People used to call me that all the time." Keiko said sounding a little sad for a second. "Anyway, something tells me we're going to be spending a lot of time together from now on so get "familiar"." Keiko said with a small smile. Yuki looked away still blushing. Normally he wouldn't behave as he was presently, but for some reason Keiko's presence somehow invoked him to show how he was really feeling, which normally he kept hidden. Even from his family he kept certain feelings bottled up inside and even though Yuki has just met Yamada Keiko she threatened to bring all those feelings to the forefront and at that moment his feelings were those of a boy slightly giddy that such a beautiful girl was paying him so much attention.

"Keikochan."

"Yeah?"

"It's already kind of dark and I'd feel terrible if you walked home alone. After all you've done for me. I'm sure one of my cousins will be happy to take you home." Yuki said before really thinking about the words that came out of his mouth. He could see it now. He'd probably have to rough Kyou up before he agreed to escort Keiko to her home and Shigure would be too eager to do so.

"Oh, that's very nice of you, Yukisan." Not really accustomed to being called by his first name Yuki paused making a slight gasping sound.

"Don't over react. Is there a problem with me calling you by your name?"

"No, I'm just not used to it." Yuki said blushing once again now feeling embarrassed because he himself felt he may have over reacted.

"Ah, I see, you don't have many friends do you?"

"How did you…?"

"It's a shame really. The most popular guy in the whole school and not to have any friends."

"I have friends…" Yuki said now feeling inadequate."

"Yeah, I've heard a good number of your relatives attend the school as well, but they don't count. I mean being friends with one's relatives is completely different from making friends outside the family. With relatives a certain amount of trust is usually given automatically. With other people you're kind of taking a leap of faith and that's why I won't tell anyone about what happened today. I want you to trust me Yukisan, because I want to become friends and I know I barely know you at all, but for some reason I feel you're someone that I can trust." Up until that moment Keiko had been relentless in keeping up her tough façade, but at that moment Yuki could see a tremendous break in her usually indifferent behavior and in that break she seemed like a beautiful, kind hearted, tender girl.

"What are you looking at?" Keiko questioned slipping back into her usual mode.

"Sorry." Yuki said quickly turning away and hiding his face.

"Oh, is that your house?" Keiko said seeing Shigure's house just ahead.

"Yes, that's it." Yuki said regaining his composure.

"Oh, what a cute little house." Keiko said as they approached the door.

"Won't you come in?" Yuki invited.

"Ok." Keiko agreed not wanting to seem rude by turning down the invitation.

"Welcome back Yukikun, You're getting in a little later than usual." Shigure said when Yuki entered the house. "Oh, and who might this vision of loveliness be, you're new girlfriend?" Shigure asked teasingly.

"This is Yamada Keiko. She's new at school."

"Good move, Yukikun. Claiming the beautiful new girl at your school before anyone else can." Shigure said winking and giving Yuki one thumb up.

"Please, excuse my cousin, Keikochan, he can get a bit carried away sometimes."

"Huh? What are you doing here?" Kyou asked entering the room and seeing Keiko standing in their home.

"Oh, hi Kyoun-Kyoun. Yukisan invited me." Keiko said cheerily.

"Hey, don't call me that!" Kyou yelled.

"Why not, Kyoun-Kyoun?" Shigure asked turning his attention to teasing Kyou.

"Everyone at school calls him that." Keiko said.

"Is that so?" Shigure said looking at Kyou as to ask why.

"It doesn't matter why everyone calls me that you guys don't need to start doing it too!"

"Awe, I'm sorry." Keiko apologized. "Is it okay if just I call you Kyouchan then?" She asked with a smile. Kyou took one look at her ready to object, but once he laid eyes on her his indignation seemed to somewhat dissolve.

"Fine, call me whatever you want." Kyou said. "But don't you two go getting any ideas." He said yelling at Shigure and Yuki then stomped away.

"He, he. Well, I better get going now." Keiko said sliding back into her shoes.

"What? Already?" Shigure pouted.

"Maybe, I'll stay a little later some other time." Keiko said motioning to go outside.

"Keikokun, you should let Yuki take you home." Shigure said looking at his younger cousin.

"Um, no. That's ok." Keiko said abruptly turning around.

"Well, if you rather not Yuki take you home, I'd be more than glad to." Shigure offered.

"Really, I'm fine." Keiko said bolting out the door and away from the house.

"Was it something I said?" Shigure wondered out loud. Yuki could only stare at him with an annoyed expression on his face.

A few hours later that night Tohru was walking home from work when she saw what appeared to be a girl wearing an over sized rain poncho and carrying a giant knapsack that looked very similar to the one she saw Keiko carrying the day before. Seeing the girl slink into a dark alleyway Tohru gasped and ran to catch up to the girl before she lost sight of her.

Coming around the corner where she saw the girl disappear Tohru could see a dark figure slumped over in a seated position. Looking up the figure could see Tohru standing in front of her looking down on her with sympathetic eyes.

"Yamadasan?" Tohru said shocked to see her classmate out on the street like she was. Keiko looked up at Tohru with tears streaming down her face and her voice cracked as she spoke.

"Please don't tell anyone." Keiko requested pleadingly.

To Be Continued

A/N: Well, that's the end of the first chapter of one of the many Fruits Basket fan fictions I plan on posting here. It seems that Yuki escaped transforming this time around. Can't really say he'll be so lucky next time… I hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.


	2. Enter Keiko

A/N: For the most part this fan fiction is based on the anime, but I will be incorporating some elements from the manga.

Eye Of The Storm

By

Phoenix Hoshika

Chapter 2; Enter Keiko

"Yamadasan…" Tohru said not knowing where to begin. Thunder struck a moment later and Tohru still was at a loss for words.

"I must seem really pathetic." Keiko said as small drops of rain started to pour down.

"No, not at all," Tohru blurted out.

"Hondasan, I'm living on the sidewalk and everything I own is in this bag." Keiko said gesturing toward the oversized knapsack that sat beside her. "I mean, really, it doesn't get much more pathetic than this." Keiko said wiping away raindrops and tears from her face.

"Don't say that." Tohru said now finding the words she needed to say. "A couple of years of ago I was in the same situation."

"Don't' just say things to make light of it." Keiko said lowering her head and bringing her knees to her face.

"No it's true. I was living in a tent in the woods. Well, actually it was property owned by the Sohma family, but for a while I was living out there in a tent until they found me one night. Instead of telling me to go someplace else they invited me into their home and I've been there ever since."

"That's good for you, things worked out."

"Yamadasan, things can work out for you too. The Sohmas have become like family to me and I'm sure if I ask them-"

"No." Keiko objected standing up. "I can't just ask complete strangers to let me into their home." Keiko finished standing up and picking up her bag. "Only a weak woman always relies on others and can't hold her own when things get tough."

"Oh, then you must think I'm really weak, huh?" Tohru said turning her back to Keiko to hide the sad expression on her face. "My mom told me once that when things get tough it takes a lot of courage to ask for help from others. She said it takes a strong person to put themselves out there when they really need help because that's when a person is the most vulnerable." Tohru said turning back around. "It may be presumptuous to ask for such a thing but the Sohmas are good people I'm sure they wouldn't hesitate to help out in anyway they can."

"Hondasan..." Keiko said still crying as she reached out and hugged Tohru.

A little later at Shigure's house, Shigure, Kyou and Yuki were sitting the living room watching TV. Shigure was doing his best to ignore the heaviness in the room that is present when ever Yuki and Kyou are there together. The only time that heaviness is ever broken is when Tohru was present with them and at that moment Shigure was eagerly watching the clock, awaiting her return. Looking at Yuki and Kyou he was sure if Tohru didn't turn up soon they would start fighting and smash up his house yet again.

"Tohrukun is late." Shigure said hoping that they would go out the house look for her.

"Yes, she is getting in a little later than usual." Yuki said still seated.

"Maybe you and Kyou should go and make sure she makes it in before the weather gets to harsh." Shigure suggested.

"Why do I have to go with that damn rat?" Kyou questioned angrily.

"You don't have to come, stupid cat." Yuki said standing up.

"I go where ever I want!"

"Then go away."

_"Sohma home isn't going to pay for repairs anymore and they're so ready to go so late at night. It might not be that bad this time." _Shigure thought. _"Then again it could be really bad." _Shigure thought again imagining a pile of rubbish that once was his house.

"Sorry, I'm so late." Tohru said entering the house.

"Tohrukun, make them stop." Shigure said in an ingratiating tone. Looking across room Tohru could see and hear that Kyou and Yuki were in a heated argument. Though Tohru was the calm in the storm between Kyou and Yuki, sometimes more frequently than not, her presence is not enough. The next thing they knew Yuki had kicked Kyou through the sliding paper door to the kitchen. Shigure could only stand there with tears flowing out of his eyes like a river.

"Please, forgive my intrusion." Keiko said stepping out from behind Tohru. "I, I, I…" Keiko stuttered unable to get the words.

"What's wrong?" Shigure asked in a sympathetic tone.

"Shiguresan-" Tohru started to explain for her but was cut off.

"No." Keiko said stopping Tohru before she could say anything more. "I should stand up for myself." Keiko said finding new courage. _"Even if they reject me at the start I've got to try. I don't know how much longer I'll be able to survive out there, especially with winter coming. I have to swallow my pride and ask for help." _Keiko thought as she prepared herself. Taking off her shoes and placing her rain poncho at the door, Keiko walked over to Shigure and performs a very low bow. Lowing herself down to the floor as if to sit with her knees folded under her body Keiko leans forward with her face nearly touching the floor. "I humbly request that you allow me to live in this house." Keiko said as humble as possible.

Yuki was silently shocked and Kyou who had staggered back into the room looked up in surprise as well.

"I have no where to go." Keiko said with her face still to the floor. "I've been living on the streets for the past three mouths and if Tohru had not come along and found me tonight…" Keiko said. Then unable to speak anymore she started to softly sob. Right then Tohru dropped to the floor in the same position as Keiko.

"I know it's a lot to ask, but please let her stay here with us." Tohru pleaded.

Shigure looked down at the two no longer able to contain himself any longer. Without warning he exploded into a fit of laughter. Keiko looked up in disbelief with tears still in her eyes.

"She pours her heart out to you and all you can do is stand there and laugh?" Kyou yelled.  
Shigure still could not regain control of himself and being rebuked by Kyou only served to fuel his laughter even more.

"Please excuse my cousin." Yuki said kneeling down in front of Keiko. "What he means is he'd be delighted to have you stay here with us. Isn't that right, Shiguresan?" Yuki said looking over his shoulder at his older cousin who was huddled in the furthest corner of the living room doing a very bad job of covering up his laughter. "You can stop any time." Yuki said annoyed, by Shigure's behavior.

"She was on the street three whole months." Shigure said still laughing then suddenly stopped. His expression now sober he stood up and walked back over to Keiko who was still positioned on the floor.

"Yes, that's exactly what I meant. I was just so overwhelmed with joy that another lovely young lady would be joining us I couldn't help myself." Shigure said trying to cover for his nervous laughter. Kyou and Yuki said nothing as they both gave him cross-eyed stares.

"Really?" Keiko said jumping to her feet and extremely close to Shigure. Giving a slight gasp he awkwardly took a step back. "Hondasan…" Keiko said turning to face Tohru then turned back to everyone else in the room. "Thank you very much." Keiko said bowing. "And I promise I won't be a burden. I may not be able to cook so well, but I can clean and I can fix things; plumbing, electrical, you name it I can fix it. If you have any materials I can have that door fixed before morning." Keiko said rushing over to Shigure who just smiled.

"Beautiful and handy to have around," Shigure said.

"Great!" Keiko said picking up her bag. "I'll get right on it!"

"You can share my room with me." Tohru said taking Keiko's hand and quickly leading her upstairs.

Once they were out of earshot Shigure spoke in a hushed voice. "You know we're going to have to be extra careful."

"That goes double for you, stupid cat." Yuki said folding his arms.

"You want to start something?" Kyou said pushing up his sleeves angrily.

"Ah, Yuki don't tease Kyoukun, he can't help it." Shigure said draping himself over Kyou's back.

"Get the hell off me!" Kyou yelled thrashing about in a futile attempt to knock Shigure off of him.

"What are you all doing?" Keiko said as she walked into the living room.

"Oh, Keikokun," Shigure said acknowledging her presence. "You've changed clothes. That outfit fits you like a glove."

"Stop looking at her like that you dirty old man!" Kyou and Yuki said simultaneously as they put a hurting on their cousin. Keiko had changed out of the clothes she was wearing into a white tank top that was worn over a black sports bra with a red lining and red shorts. Along with her outfit Keiko was presently wearing a tool belt.

"You guys are awfully rowdy for it to be so late." Keiko said walking past them and preparing to work on the door. "Oh, I'm already to work, but do you guys have any extra materials?"

"Right here," Shigure said scurrying out of the room in back with in seconds to hand Keiko a pile of sheet wood and paper.

"I think I'm going to be sick." Yuki said under his breath.

"That's just nasty." Kyou said.

"So, your really can fix anything?" Shigure asked.

"Uh-huh, that's right." Keiko answered as she went to work on the door.

"I can't take this anymore!" Kyou exclaimed.

Yuki only stared at Shigure in calm anger.

"Eee! Yukikun, is scary." Shigure said seeing the expression on Yuki's face. Putting his hands over his face he quickly left the room and went to bed.

"Sorry, about that." Yuki apologized.

"Don't worry about it." Keiko said cheerily. "I'm sure he didn't mean any harm." Yuki and Kyou feel silent and looked as if they were going to be sick.

"Don't be so naive." Kyou said.

"He, he. Don't worry!" Keiko said turning to face them. "If Shiguresan gets out of line, POW!" Keiko said smacking her hands together. Yuki flinched as the memory of the slap Keiko gave him was suddenly recalled.

"Well, I'm beat." Kyou said leaving the room to go to sleep.

"Me too. Good night, Keikochan." Yuki said getting up to leave.

"Good night." Keiko said continuing to work.

The next morning Keiko was up bright and early helping Tohru as much as she could with preparing breakfast.

"I know what!" Let's make croissants." Keiko announced pulling out the necessary ingredients.

"Huh?" Tohru said not knowing what croissants were.

"It's a piece of bread shaped like a crescent moon. I learned to make them while I was in France." Keiko said her voice trailing off for a second. "Here, I'll show you how to make them." She said mixing everything together.

"That's amazing!" Tohru exclaimed a few minutes later after watching Keiko fold the croissants.

"Yeah, I can fold the bread right, but in the end I always manage to burn them."

"Don't worry; I'll keep an eye on it." Tohru said sliding the pan into the oven.

An hour later everyone was gathered around the table. Shigure was the first to notice the basket in the center of the table filled with croissants.

"Well, would you look at this?" Shigure said taking the basket and sitting it down in front of himself. "Thank you very much!" Shigure said taking one of the croissants and eating it. Right away tears came streaming out of his eyes. "This is the best croissant I've ever had. Which one of lovely young ladies made them?"

"Yamadasan did." Tohru said.

"You helped too." Keiko said. "If it wasn't for you I would have burned them."

"All I did was put them in the oven; I didn't even know how to make a croissant until you showed me."

"Keikokun, you shouldn't be so modest these are really good." Shigure said popping another one in his mouth. "Where did you learn how to make them?"

"I learned how to make them while my family was in France." Keiko answered.

"Really?" Shigure said his eyes lighting up, then he said something in French. Keiko in turn responded and they both started to laugh.

"Well, that was a good meal." Shigure said with a smile as a sweat drop came down his forehead. "Time to get to work," Shigure said getting up and scurrying away into his study.

"Damnit," Kyou yelled looking into the empty basket Shigure had left behind. "And I really wanted to try one."

"Don't worry, Kyouchan." Keiko said sliding over to him. "I'll make some more if you like."

"Nah, it's ok. I'll just eat what's here." Kyou said grabbing up a piece of fish.

"Keikochan, I'm curious." Yuki said. "What were you and Shigure talking about?"

"Oh, nothing much." Keiko said suddenly feeling uncomfortable.

"What exactly did you two say to each other?" Kyou asked catching the expression on Keiko's face.

"Nothing." Keiko insisted. "He asked a simple question and I gave a simple answer.

"Then what's so difficult about just telling us what you said?" Kyou asked getting irritated by Keiko's secretiveness.

"Oh, look at me still in my pajamas." Keiko said standing up. "I better go get ready for school." She said dashing off.

_"Somehow I get the feeling that whatever was said wasn't so simple." _Tohru thought to herself.

On their way to school Tohru and Keiko walked together while Kyou and Yuki followed a few paces behind them in silence. Neither of the two girls were alive with conversation themselves but were happy with each other's companionship, which wasn't the case for the two young men the accompanied them. Despite their silence they were mentally spewing insults and obscenities at one another and Kyou looked as if he were going to explode.

"That's it!" Kyou yelled all of a sudden.

"What's it? Have you finally realized how stupid you are?" Yuki said.

"I've had it with your smartass mouth!" Kyou said throwing a punch.

Yuki caught is arm and held it. Kyou went to strike another blow but Yuki blocked Kyou's arm with his hand then grabbed it as well. The whole time he had a smile and a wicked glare in his eyes. Kyou was yet again at a disadvantage. This time instead of his usual kick to the head Yuki gave Kyou a head butt and incidentally Kyou fell backward on the ground landing on his backside. Yuki turned and walked away leaving Kyou on the ground holding his aching head. Yuki just walked passed Tohru and Keiko as if nothing had happened. The two could only stare dumbfound when Kyou got up and ran at Yuki with full fury.

"Do these two always fight like that?" Keiko asked.

"Unfortunately, yes, but lately it seems they've been fighting more often than usual."

"More than usual?"

"They usually have a fight at least once a day."

"They fight like this at least once day?" Keiko said in disbelief.

"Yeah, and from the looks of it Kyou has gotten stronger. They fight a lot but not for long."

"Why is that?"

"Yuki would have usually finished him off by now." Tohru said as Kyou came crashing to the ground.

Sitting up Kyou put his hand to his mouth to keep the blood from dripping. "Ah, damnit all!" Kyou yelled and took off running.

"Kyou, where are you going? You'll be late for school." Tohru called but Kyou had already disappeared.

"Don't worry about that idiot, he'll turn up." Yuki said his voice riddled with anger as he slowly calmed down from the fight. From there on Tohru and Keiko walked side by side with Yuki in complete silence.

"Yuki, Tohru!" Momiji shouted as he saw his friends approach the school.

"Good morning, miss." Momiji greeted Keiko in German with a bow when the three reached the spot where he and Hatsuharu were standing just outside the school's gates.

"Hello." Hatsuharu said calmly.

"Morning." Tohru greeted.

"Good morning." Yuki said now completely calmed down. Looking over at Hatsuharu he could see his cousin giving Keiko an intense stare that then focused on him.

"So, we meet again. Good morning." Keiko said giving a bow."

"Keikochan, you've meet before?" Yuki asked surprised.

"Yes, we met the other day." Hatsuharu begin. "I offered to walk her to class, but…"

"…But he went black and-" Before Momiji could finish his sentence Hatsuharu had clamped his hand over the rambunctious rabbit's mouth and in the motion had pulled Momiji close and wrapped his other arm around him to keep him quiet.

"How are you today?" Hatsuharu asked Keiko calmly, unmoved as Momiji futilely struggled to break free.

"I'm fine." Keiko answered.

"Where's Kyou?" Hatsuharu asked.

"Oh, we lost track of him after we left the house." Keiko answered.

"After you left the house?" Hatsuharu asked perplexed.

"Keikochan is living with us now." Yuki answered. Hatsuharu gave a slight gasp and unintentionally released Momiji.

"That's great!" Momiji said hopping in front of Keiko. "That means I can hug you too!" Momiji said ready to pounce when Hatsuharu snacked him back with an annoyed expression on his face. Somehow his sixth sense was telling him that Keiko didn't yet know about the Sohma family's curse, besides that they were in the middle of the street. Though no one was around at the time there was no telling when someone might pop up or who was looking out of the windows of their school.

"Hey!" Momiji exclaimed, but once he saw the looks on everyone's faces he understood right away. _"Keikochan doesn't know about us." _Momiji thought remorsefully as he settled down.

_"Oh dear, everyone's so serious._ _Something has to been done about this." _Keiko thought turning to Momiji. "Aren't you just the cutest?" Keiko said smiling at him.

"Why thank you." Momiji said ginning.

"You must be really smart." Keiko said misjudging Momiji for being younger than he actually was

Momiji was a bit thrown by her comment but only smiled. "Hey, you're really pretty. Can I walk you to class?" Momiji offered.

"Oh, how sweet, sure." Keiko said taking his hand and walking off leaving everyone in stark silence.

_"I think Momijikun fooled her too." _Tohru thought as she watched them disappear into the building. Hatsuharu stared in silent indignation and though irritated Momiji's antics where not capable of invoking "Black Haru".

"That was the chime." Hatsuharu said, with an edge to his voice, hearing the familiar ding of the school bell.

"You aren't by any chance…" Yuki said to Hatsuharu being cautious of his words.

"No, I'm fine. It just bothers me that she's with Momiji right now." Tohru and Yuki give a heavy sign both feeling that he should give it up.

Kyou finally turned up at school that day and to everyone's surprise he was there before they were. Though neither he nor Yuki tried to pick any more fights with each other, things were still pretty tense between them throughout the day. Even almost throughout the entire weekend the tension between Kyou and Yuki cast a heavy atmosphere in the house.

Sunday morning Keiko woke up bright and early to get a head start on cleaning. Dressed in the usual white tank top and red short she wore when doing repairs and chores around the house the first thing on Keiko's task list was to do the laundry. After finishing a talk glass of orange juice Keiko was heading out the kitchen when she bumped into something. She could have sworn Kyou was standing there but when she looked down all she saw was a pile of clothes.

"What the?" Keiko said seeing the pile of clothes move. Carefully lifting up the clothes, underneath she saw an orange cat.

_"Damn, this is just great. Why is it that girls always manage to sneak up on me?" _Kyou thought as he looked up Keiko terrified.

"Awe, don't be scared." Keiko said beckoning the cat to come to her, but Kyou would not move a muscle as he was still petrified and didn't even hear a word she said.

"It's okay, kitty." She cooed picking him up. "I haven't seen you around here. Are you Shiguresan's pet or a stray that somehow wondered in here?" Keiko asked as she cradled Kyou in her arms. Looking down at the clothes on the floor she frowned. "Lazy boys." Keiko said picking the clothes off the floor with one hand and holding Kyou close to her with the other. "These look like Kyou's clothes. Why would he just go and drop them in the middle of the floor like this? That's men for you I guess." Keiko said continuing to talk out loud as she did the laundry still holding onto Kyou.

_"Geez, does she talk to herself this much all the time?" _Kyou wondered.

"I bet this place would look like a garbage dump if it weren't for Hondasan." Keiko said leaving the washroom and going back to the kitchen. "Now back to you Kittysan." Keiko said holding him up with both hands. "You're too clean to be a stray so you must be Shiguresan's pet, but he seems more like a dog person to me." Keiko said causing Kyou's heart to nearly stop. "I know! You must belong to Tohru. She loves cats." Keiko said triumphantly believing she had solved the mystery of the orange cat.

"You must be hungry. Why else would you be outside of the kitchen? Hondasan isn't up yet so I'll feed you." Keiko said holding Kyou close to her once again as she looked through the cabinet to find something for him to eat. "Ma, it looks like Shiguresan doesn't keep any canned tuna around and I can't find any cat food. Could that little fish in the refrigerator be meant for you?" Keiko said looking down at Kyou.

_"She's gotta put me down sooner or later." _Kyou thought waiting for his chance to make an escape.

"I know it may be easier if I put you down but you're so soft and cuddly!" Keiko said burying her face in Kyou's fur. "I know! Would you like some sardines?" Keiko said holding him up. Kyou only looked at her with an indifferent expression on his face. Keiko then rushed off still carrying Kyou and quietly went into the room she and Tohru were sharing. Quietly Keiko walked across the floor to her school bag and retrieved a can of sardines and as quietly as she came left the room.

"Let's go out on the porch kittysan." Keiko said merrily walking down the stairs and outside. Once on the porch, Keiko opened the can and the aroma of the sardines seemed to dance around Kyou's nose and send him into somewhat of a trance. The plan was to run away once Keiko let go of him, but once she put him down Kyou had forgotten all about escaping.

"I usually snack on these myself, but today I'll make an exception and let you have them, kittysan." Keiko said dangling one of the sardines in mid air as she kneeled. Kyou was fixated on the tiny fish and could focus on nothing else but grabbing it.

"Come here." Keiko said purposely holding the tiny fish so to entice the cat. Kyou stepped forward and jumped up grabbing at the fish with his two front paws but Keiko lifted it higher than he could reach.

"MEEOW!" Kyou said irritated that she did not let him have the sardine.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Keiko said laughing as she lowered the fish. "I just wanted to play a bit, but I guess you're not in the mood to play right now." She said lowering the fish so that Kyou could grab it, which he did and quickly devoured it. "I can see why you didn't want to play. You must be very hungry." Keiko said placing the can of sardines on the porch.

Just then Keiko heard a bump as if something had hit the wall inside the house. Shortly afterward Yuki came outside holding his head. He was walking around still in asleep and had bumped into the wall causing him to wake up. When he saw Keiko and Kyou on the porch his mouth dropped.

"Morning, Yukisan." Keiko said picking Kyou up once again who was purring like crazy after filling his stomach with sardines.

"What are you doing?" Yuki asked obviously upset.

Hearing Yuki's voice Kyou snapped back to his senses and nearly had a heart attack.

"I'm just feeding the cat." Keiko said holding Kyou to her face snuggling him. "I found him out side the kitchen this morning and since Hondasan wasn't up yet I decided to feed him for her."

"Give me the cat." Yuki said relieved that their secret had not been discovered.

"Awe, but we were having fun, weren't we kittysan?" Keiko said addressing Kyou who only returned an indifferent stare.

"Please, Keikochan just give me the stupid cat." Yuki said reaching out for it.

"No." Keiko said turning away from Yuki. _"I maybe over reacting but something about that look in his eye right now. I don't think he likes at all, in fact it seems like he really hates them."_

"I have to give him a bath." Yuki said trying to make up a cover story. "You know how filthy cat's are so please." Yuki said reaching for Kyou again but Keiko moved out of reach.

_"Who the hell are you calling filthy you damn rat!"_ Kyou thought angrily.

"He smells just fine to me." Keiko said holding Kyou to her face and sniffing him. "He smells like someone just gave him a bath this morning." Keiko said taking a step back as the look in Yuki's eyes became more intense.

"Give him to me." Yuki said stepping forward.

"No!" Keiko yelled.

"Why not?" Yuki asked irritated.

"I can tell you don't like cats and you may act all nice, but when it comes to kittysan I really don't think that will be the case." Keiko said taking another step off the porch.

"I'm not going to harm him." Yuki said. _"Well, maybe just a little for almost revealing us." _Yuki thought moving closer.

"NO!" Keiko said one last time as she stepped back. Her heal hit a stone and she tripped falling on her backside and dropping Kyou who landed on his feet and ran away. "Kittysan!" Keiko called then turned giving Yuki an angry stare.

"What?"

"You scared him away." Keiko said getting up and dusting herself off.

"I'm sure he'll be back." Yuki said with a smile as the tension he felt eased away.

"You almost sound happy it's gone." Keiko said walking away.

"I'm sorry, how about I cook dinner tonight to make it up to you?"

"What do I have to do with it? It was Hondasan's cat."

"That's right." Yuki said with a small frown. "I mean I should cook dinner to make it up to her." Yuki said following Keiko into the house.

"You mean so you can kill her. Shigure told me how you make things extra charred."

"What else did he tell you?" Yuki asked beginning to fume.

Later that night Kyou finally turned up. After taking a bath and putting on some clothes he went into the dinning room to join everyone for dinner.

"You sure were gone a long time; don't tell me you spent the whole day running around naked." Shigure said stopping Kyou before he entered the dinning area.

"Shut up! I had no choice. Every time I tried to come back one of _them_ was wondering around."

"If you ask me I think he enjoyed it." Yuki said.

"The hell I did! It was damn cold." Kyou said then sneezed.

"Bless you." Shigure said handing him some cold tablets. "Take these just in case, you don't want to transform again and give away our secret like you almost did today."

"How was I supposed to know she was there? She just came out of nowhere."

"That's the same excuse you used last time. I'm beginning to think you're doing it on purpose." Yuki said folding his arms.

"Why you!" Kyou said ready to attack Yuki but Shigure casually flung him away.

"Not now Kyoukun or we'll miss the lovely dinner the Keikokun and Tohrukun cooked for us."

"Ah, damnit!" Kyou said reluctant to give up his confrontation with Yuki for the night, but let it go anyway. Upon entering the dinning room Kyou plopped down next to Keiko.

"Good evening, Kyouchan." Keiko said. "We haven't seen you all day. What have you been up to?"

"None of your business." Kyou said turning red.

"Oh, come on Kyoukun tell us what you've been up to all this time." Shigure teased.

"You demented bastard, shut the hell up!" Kyou said standing up. "I'm not hungry."

"How rude and after Hondasan and Keikochan went through all the trouble of making sakana nabi. Yuki said underhandedly picking fun at Kyou.

"You too, you damn rat." Kyou said turning even redder as he remembered how out of character he was behaving that morning.

"My, my, temper, temper." Shigure said as he watched Kyou become even more inflamed.

"Damnit, don't I ever get a break?" Kyou said walking away.

"Awe, Kyouchan don't go." Keiko said in the same tone she used with Kyou when he was a cat. Hearing her speak like that to him again Kyou paused for a moment. He wanted to yell at her and tell he to shut up, but he couldn't. Not that hearing her speak to him in that tone irritated him in any way it had the very opposite of that effect; it made him feel all warm and fuzzy inside and even a little bitty giddy; he felt at ease. That is something he'd rather not allow himself to feel around Keiko, because he was sure that if she saw him for who he truly was that she would call him a monster and runaway screaming in terror and disgust. Tohru was the only one that accepted him for what he was and even she was still afraid of him in his other form, Tohru was special. Though it was a secret hope that there were more people like her around Kyou felt that it was asking for too much; to not have to walk around wearing the beaded bracelet all the time to keep the transformation at bay, to be able to sit and talk and laugh freely with others as he truly was, it was too much to ask from the people of this world. That is why he could not allow himself to let his guard down around this girl from the outside because if he did, if he allowed himself to trust, in the end he was sure he would only be hurt and his heart was still too broken and fragile to handle that type of pain once again without being completely destroyed, so he did not respond to her plea to stay and eat dinner even though he wanted to. Kyou said nothing and continued to walk out of the room.

Monday morning Yuki woke up with a cold. Ever since he passed out on the track that day he had been feeling weak and was taking medicine in secret to keep himself from coming down with an infection, but his efforts proved futile. Pulling the thermometer from his mouth Yuki saw that he was running a slight fever and sighed. "How am I going to hide this from them now? He said to himself as he took off his pajamas and got dressed for school. _"I've gotta try. I don't want to risk the chance of Akito finding out about this."_ Yuki thought to himself. _"I'll just have to do my best at faking it today." _He thought leaving his room and going downstairs for breakfast.

"Yukikun, are you feeling ok?" Shigure asked looking up from his paper at his ailing cousin.

Keiko looked over at Yuki out of the corner of her eye. _"This doesn't look good. He's been trying to hide it ever since that day, but it's finally caught up to him." _Keiko thought to herself with concern.

"Yukikun, you really don't look good are you sure you're ok?" Tohru asked.

"Yes, I'm fine." Yuki said denying his sickness.

Putting her hand to his forehead Tohru gasped. "You have a fever Yukikun and you say you're feeling fine.

"It may just be a little cold." Shigure said. "But you should stay home from school today so that it doesn't get any worse." He added. Yuki nodded catching his drift.

"I'll stay home too." Tohru said. "I'll stay home too and make sure Yukikun is alright."

"No, that isn't necessary." Yuki said trying to mask a cough. "I just need a little rest that all. I'll be fine by the time everyone gets back today."

"Everyone?" Keiko said.

"Well, today I have to run some errands and take care of a few other things. I should be back by this evening." Shigure said those few other things being going over to the main estate to have a talk with someone in particular.

"You'll be ok here by yourself?" Keiko asked Yuki.

"Yes, I'll be fine just need to sleep it off that's all." Yuki said with a weak smile then left the group to go lay down in his room.

After her first two classes Keiko ditched the rest of the day to go see Yuki. Something told her that he shouldn't be left alone and that his condition was worse than he let on. All throughout class she couldn't help but worry that he would stop breathing again no one would be there to help him, so she snuck out of the school and ran all the way back to Shigure's house.

Coming up on the porch Keiko saw the front door open. Yuki's condition had gotten worse and though he was very dizzy and could barely walk he couldn't stand to be cooped up in the house and thought sitting out on the front porch would help.

"Yukisan?" Keiko said with worry in her voice.

"Keikochan… What are you doing here?" Yuki asked slowly.

"I was worried. I saw you taking cold medicine all week so when you got sick today I just couldn't allow you to be here all alone. I was really-" Before Keiko could finish Yuki fell forward onto Keiko who caught him. Suddenly there was a loud _Boomf_ sound and Keiko found herself staring a pile of clothes on the ground.

To Be Continued…

A/N: Ok! That ends the second chapter. Oh, I can't wait to get to the part where Ayame comes in! I have big plans for him. (Mwahahaha.) I wanted to include Kagura in the fan fiction but I don't think there is room for her in this one. Hopefully I'll find a way… Akito will come in more later… Oh brother just thinking about him gives me a headache, but I still want him in this fic. I hate him yet I really like him (what story doesn't have a good antagonist?). '

As for the short conversation between Shigure and Keiko, let's just say he said something slap worthy, that Keiko's response was the equivalent of a slap and that the whole conversation was worthy of being censored.


	3. Keeper Of Secrets

A/N: This time it's Yuki who spills the beans, though Kyou did come close last chapter, it wouldn't be fair for Kyou to be the one to reveal their secret again…

Chapter 3

Keeper of Secrets

        Keiko looked down at the pile of clothes before her in disbelief.

        "Yuki? Where did you go?" She asked almost panicked as she kneeled and picked up his pajamas. "A rat?" Keiko said staring at the unconscious creature. "Oh, Yuki!" She exclaimed realizing what happened but not how as she carefully picked him up. "How did this happen to you? At least you're still breathing." Keiko said cradling the small animal in her hand. "I'll get you in your bed then figure out what to do." She said even though Yuki couldn't hear her. _"This explains a lot. No wonder he didn't want anyone to call an ambulance that day and why he seems so distant from others."_

After she laid Yuki on his bed she kneeled down beside it, resting her face on the mattress as she watched him sleep. _"I wonder why he suddenly changed into a rat like that? More importantly how do I change him back? I wonder if this transformation is like the ones in the storybooks where the price is cursed by a witch and turns into a frog and the only way he can change back is to be kissed by a princess. Then after that happens they live happily ever after." _Keiko thinks then stands up and paces. "But this is real life there is no way that would work… Then again I never would have thought a person could turn into a rat in real life until now." She says out loud looking over at Yuki. "If there is a chance it will work, then it is worth a shot." Keiko said walking back over to the bed. Slowly she bends down over Yuki preparing to kiss him on the cheek when there is a sudden _Boomf _sound and puff of smoke. Keiko then finds herself leaning over a completely naked Yuki.

        Keiko gasped jumping back. Her first instinct was to scream but it seemed as if her heart was caught in her throat. Quickly she turned around and started filing around for a pair of pants and a shirt in the closet. Behind her she could her Yuki moaning as he came to.

        "Keikochan?" He said wearily not yet realizing in his sleepy haze he was naked. Keiko practically jumped when he called her name. "What are you doing?"

        "Ah, damnit, Yuki! Don't just lie there asking pointless questions. Put some clothes on already!" She yelled throwing some cloths over her back. Finally realizing he was naked Yuki gasped and quickly grabbed the clothes and got dressed.

        "I'm sorry about that." Yuki apologized a few minutes later. Keiko was still sitting on the floor by his closet shaking.

        "Are you ok?" He asked walking over to her and kneeling down beside her, but instead of answering Keiko turned away from him.

        "I see." Yuki said with a sad voice as he got up and started to walk away.

        "Don't get the wrong idea, Yukisan." Keiko said her voice shaking as she spoke. "You were cute for a rat, so don't get the wrong idea."

        "Yuki stopped and turned around but Keiko still had her back to him.

        "We're still friends right? It doesn't matter if you turn into a rat, it's just that…" Keiko said her voice still quivering, but slowly starting to steady.

        "What?" Yuki asked.

        "How do you face someone after seeing him naked?"

        "…" Yuki could not say a word; he was too embarrassed at the moment to say anything. "…You saw me naked?" He asked hoping she'd say something along the lines of "sort of" and even if she said "just your backside" would make him feel a little better.

        "I saw you completely naked." Keiko confirmed flatly.

        "Oh…" Yuki said his face crimson red. He then started to wonder if Tohru was telling the truth all those times before he ended up transforming in front of her and changing back. Did she really close her eyes in time like she said she did or was she just saying that to make him feel better? "Keikochan?"

        "Yes?" Keiko asked finally recovering and standing up.

        "Don't let anyone else know about what just happened, don't even tell Shigure or the others."

        "I won't." Keiko agreed. Then turned around. "Do you mean to tell me that _they_ don't know?"

        "That's not it." Yuki said sitting on his bed and slumping over. "Shigure, Kyou and Tohru all know."

        "Yukisan, I said I won't tell anyone, not even them regardless of the reason why, but can you at least tell me that reason?" Keiko asked as she turned around. Yuki then explained to her the story about the Sohma family curse and why he didn't want her to mention it to anyone, not even Shigure.

        "If it's so important not to keep things from the head of your family why are you asking me to keep this a secret even from them?"

        "Keikochan, I owe you my life. If Tohru had not found you that night, I hate to think what might have happened to you. If Akito found out about this I am sure he would have your memories washed away and things would go back to the way they were before the night you came to live with us and I can't live with myself if that happened to you especially after what you did for me. So, Keikochan, please don't say anything about this."

        "Don't worry I won't." Keiko promised. "It's funny. I cut class to come make sure you were ok and I only end up making things worse."

        "Don't say that." Yuki said. It's not your fault. I shouldn't have been wondering around in my condition. I would have been lying on the ground outside until someone came home if you had not been there. You saved me again." Yuki said smiling. Keiko by then was sitting next to him and had turned her head to avoid his gaze. Though she still felt bad about what happened hearing him say those words made her feel better, almost giddy.

        "You..." Keiko started then realized Yuki was still looking at her. "You should be resting right now." She said getting up and knocking Yuki backwards.

        "Whoa!" Yuki uttered as he fell on his back.

        "Yell if you need anything." Keiko said, as she got ready to exit the room.

        "Keikochan." Yuki called before she could leave. "There is something you could do."

        "What?" Keiko asked expecting him to ask her to cook something.

        "Could you stay in here with me until everyone gets home?"

        "Oh, ok." Keiko said going back over to the bed and sitting down beside his stretched out figure and giving a sigh.

        "What's wrong?"

        "Nothing, I'm just glad you didn't ask me to make you some soup or anything."

        "Well, come to think of if I could go for some leek porridge."

        "Don't make fun of me! Don't you know I can't cook?!" Keiko said taking the pillow from under his head and smacking him with it playfully.

        "Neither can I." Yuki said laughing.

        Later that day Shigure was the first to make it home.

        "I'm home." Shigure said expecting to see Yuki curled up in front of the T.V. but found no one there. Then he could hear fits of laughter coming from upstairs. Quietly walking up the staircase Shigure made his way over to Yuki's room and spied through the crack in the door.

        "Do another one!" Yuki said just about in tears from laughing so much.

        "Ok, how about Fujiyamasensei?" Keiko suggested.

        "You're going to impersonate our history teacher?" Yuki asked not seeing how such a boring man could be funny.

        "You haven't noticed that thing he does?" Keiko asked.

        "Thing?"

        "Yeah, every time he starts class." Keiko said puffing out her chest and putting on a mock serious face.

        "Today is a new day!" She said holding out her hand and swing it as if pointing to date on an imaginary black board. "Today is another day!" She declared with more fury. "But TODAY is unique! Do you know why that is?" Keiko asked with a commanding tone pretending to survey a room full of students. "Sohma Yuki!" She said jumping in front of him. "Answer the question!"

        "I don't know." Yuki said with a smile now understanding where Keiko was going.

        "What? You don't know! Well let me show you!" Keiko shouted hopping back to where the black board was supposed to be. Reaching into the air she motioned as if pulling down the overhead calendar that Fujiyama kept the dates of all their tests on. Pretending to pull the imaginary calendar down with too much force she turned around with a mock-embarrassed look on her face. "Today is different because I destroyed our test calendar this time and you will now have a pop quiz!" She bellowed. (Whenever Fujiyama accidentally destroys something in the classroom he gives a pop quiz.)

        "But sensei!" Keiko said pretending to be some poor student who hadn't studied the test material yet.

        "Don't blame me for my bumbling!" Keiko shouted. Switching roles. Yuki fell over laughing.

        "It's true! He does do that every single class! It's never funny at the time, but you make it hilarious! Do another!" Yuki requested as he rolled on his bed laughing.

        Shigure just smiled at the sight and quietly went back down stares to work.

        Later that day Hatsuharu and Momiji came by to see how Yuki was doing after hearing from Tohru that he was sick. Shigure was shut up in his office, Kyou wouldn't dare come near the house not wanting to risk catching Yuki's sick cooties, and Tohru was at work. The sun was just starting to set and after having repeated fits of laughter courtesy of Keiko Yuki finally fell asleep. Hatsuharu and Momiji had let themselves in since the door was open. Hatsuharu was about to walk up the stairs when he saw Keiko happily coming down them. She was walking with her eyes closed, as she had a bad habit of doing, but didn't miss a step as she walked. Keiko was doing just fine until she opened her eyes and saw Hatsuharu standing at the bottom of the stairs. That's when her foot missed a step and she came tumbling down the rest of the way.

        "Ooow!" Keiko wailed. "Damnit tha-" Keiko's stopped short in her ranting when the sound of pained mooing caught her ears. That is when she realized that she was sprawled out on top of a cow (ox). "Aa! I… um, oh grief no!" Keiko fumbled with her words not knowing what to say or do. "Jumping to her feet she looked down at the ox sympathetically. "Are you ok?" She asked her heart still pounding from the fall.

        Momiji for once was stark silent. He could not believe what happened, but that silence did not last for long. "You're not going to scream?" Momiji asked.

        "What? No, why?" Keiko asked just about in tears.

        "Why are you crying?" Momiji asked seemingly in awe.

        The only response he received was more stammering.

        "Could someone please get me up?" Hatsuharu asked. (I hear cows can't get up on their own when they're knocked over, weather that is true or not; I don't know, but for the sake of this fan fiction that is the case.)

        "Right." Momiji said rushing to his aid. "You help too, Keikochan." Momiji said struggling to bring the ox to his feet.

        "Oh, right, sorry." Keiko said putting her arms around the ox and pulling with all her might as Momiji pushed.

        "What's going on? I heard a crash. Is everyone alright?" Shigure asked as he came into the hallway and saw the sight before him. Keiko and Momiji had just brought the ox to his feet when the familiar _Boomf_sounded and Keiko found herself standing face to face with a naked Hatsuharu.

        "Thank you." Hatsuharu said with an irritated expression on his face realizing that he changed back.

        "KYAAAA!" Keiko screamed jumping back a good distance and falling on her behind. Quickly she brought her hands to her face. Momiji ran over to her to calm her down, but Keiko was barely aware of his presence as she sat incoherently mumbling obscenities under her breath.

        "Oh my, this is bad." Shigure said stating the obvious.

        "It was bound to happen sooner or later." Hatsuharu said stilling looking annoyed. "So, what are you going to do?"

        "What indeed." Shigure said bringing his hand to his head and sighing. "Would it be to much to ask that you two not say anything to Akito or anyone else about this?"

        "I won't say anything." Hatsuharu assured as he shifted his eyes in Momiji's direction.

        "You can trust me." Momiji assured as he gently patted Keiko on the back.

        "Oh good." Shigure said still holding his head. "Now that that's settled, could you see about putting your clothes back on Harukun, there is a lady present."

        Later that evening Kyou returned to find that Keiko had made dinner. She had given it her best attempt to make some beef stew, but it still didn't turn out quite right. Even so Shigure, Yuki, Hatsuharu, and Momiji ate it any way.

        "Gah! This stuff tastes horrible!" Kyou said nearly chocking on the stew. "How could you guys eat this-" Kyou was interrupted as a dark shadow cast over him.

        "I'd like to see you do better, Kyouchan." Keiko said the fury of anger burning in her eyes as she held the pot of stew over his head ready to pour it on him.

        "Damnit, your scary. I'm sorry. Come into the kitchen and I'll show you." Kyou said getting up and taking the pot from Keiko.

        "Lead the way." She said following him. "Look all you needed was to add the right seasonings." They could hear Kyou say as the Kitchen door shut. Moments later they returned with the stew and it tasted much better, so much so that they almost ate the whole pot. (They had to leave some for Tohru.)

        After Momiji and Hatsuharu left, Shigure returned to his work and Kyou went to bed. Yuki and Keiko convened to the living room to watch TV.

        "I'm home." Tohru said as she entered. Keiko popped up and ran over to her giving her the biggest hug she could muster.

        "Welcome back." She greeted in return.

        "Yamadasan." Tohru uttered surprised by Keiko's sudden outburst of emotion.

        "Tohru, please don't call me Yamada or san." Keiko said still holding on to her.

        "Keikokun?"

        "That's better."

        "Keikokun, is something wrong?" Tohru asked. Keiko's face had no signs of trouble but her body was heaving and it seemed as if she wanted to cry.

        Keiko looked over at Yuki who was making a rather strange face at the moment. Then Shigure came into the room.

        "What's going on?" Shigure asked seeing the two girls embracing one another.

        "Shiguresan, I need to talk to Tohru." Keiko said hinting that she wanted to know if it was ok for her tell Tohru what happened that day minus what happened earlier with Yuki that Shigure had yet to know about. Shigure caught her hint and nodded.

        "Tohru lets go upstairs." Keiko said leading her away.

        "So what are you going to do?" Yuki asked once the girls were out of earshot.

        Shigure only smiled nervously.

        "Don't tell me your not going to tell Akito about this. If he find out you've been keeping something like this from him I could only imagine what he'd do."

        "Then I'm prepared to take all the blame." Shigure said.

        "You know I'm just as much as to blame." Yuki said. Shigure looked over at his younger cousin curiously.

        "Earlier today I ran into Keiko and transformed."

        "Yuki…"

        "I wasn't going to tell you or anyone and made her swear not to tell either. So, if Akito finds out, I am just as much to blame." Yuki admitted holding his head low.

        "You feel that strongly about Keiko staying with us?"

        "Yes, she is very important to me."

        "Your secret lover?" Shigure asked breaking the tension and angering Yuki.

        "Don't be perverted." Yuki said his eyes glowing with fury as he threw a tissue box at his mischievous older cousin who moved out of the way.

        "Ah, well, I'm off to bed. Good night Yuki-kun." Shigure said getting up and stretching as he walked out of the room.

        Meanwhile up in their room Keiko sat on the bed she and Tohru shared trying to figure out where to begin while Tohru waited patiently on the other side facing the girl's back.

        "I don't understand." Keiko said sniffling. "Why did they agree to let me stay here if they had such a huge secret to keep? More importantly, why did you even bother to bring me here knowing about it yourself?" Keiko asked turning to face Tohru.

        "They told you?" Tohru asked.

        "No, well, sort of. I guess I just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, you do the math. I feel like such an idiot."

        "Keikokun, it's not your fault." Tohru said softly.

        _"I spent the whole day trying to laugh it off with Yuki and I fooled myself into thinking it will be ok, but after what happened tonight I'm not so sure. Tohru, Shigure, and Yuki may be willing to trust me, but what about Kyou and the rest of them? Do they trust me? Is this the end of my stay here?" _Keiko thought to herself. _"It figures leave it to me to cause trouble. My own family doesn't want me around. Why would I ever think that complete strangers would?" _Starting to cry more fervent tears Keiko felt Tohru's arms wrap around her.

        "Please forgive us. I'm sure no one meant to hurt you. We all just wanted to help. No one meant to make you feel like an outsider, like you didn't matter." Tohru said gently.

        "Hondasan, but the truth is I am an outsider. And do I matter? In the scope of things I'm nothing and the head of their family… Somehow I get the feeling me being here could cause you all a lot of trouble."

        "I don't know." Tohru stated with a slight pause. "I'm not a part of the Sohma family but they took me in. When I saw you that day, Keikokun, it reminded me of myself. I couldn't just look the other way. I couldn't pretend I didn't see another person suffering."

        "So, was that all I was a charity case?"

        "I didn't mean that at all."

        Keiko sighted. "I know, sorry. I'm just so confused right now." Keiko said clinging to her friend. _"I'm confused and scared." _She admitted to herself."

        Later that night Tohru lay awake next to Keiko who was only half asleep.

        "Keikokun." Tohru whispered.

        "Yeah?" Keiko answered sleepily.

        "If you don't mind my asking, how did you end up without a home?"

        "That's a nice way of putting it." Keiko said now fully awake propping herself up on her elbows.

        "I'm sorry, never mind." Tohru said hurriedly.

        "No it's ok. You see I came from a very wealthy family. I know it's hard to believe now, but my parents did pretty well for themselves, my mother was a model and my father was a senior partner of a huge law firm. They loved me very much and gave me everything I could ever want. The only thing they couldn't give me was a relationship with the rest of my family. My grandparents on both sides were against their marriage and disowned them so I never knew them or even met them until the day my mother and father never came home.

        It was just this summer. My parents went out on their anniversary. They wanted to bring me with them, but I insisted that they go alone because it was a special night just for the two of them. I didn't bother to wait up and fell asleep in front of the TV in my room like I do every weekend. I woke up late the next day to the sound of people rummaging through the house. Members of both sides of the family were there arguing over the things in my home. I watched them in secret from upstairs and it was like watching total strangers or rather even thieves just picking up and taking what they wanted. After taking all that I could take of watching them I was going to yell out for them to stop, but I saw the police standing right there with them and understood that it must have somehow been ok for them to be going through our things like that. That's when I learned my parents were in a terrible car accident the night before and had died on the scene. Frozen I just continued to watch as those strangers continued going through our things even after the police had gone. Finally they made their way upstairs to see what they could take. I still couldn't move. I just couldn't believe my parents were gone. They just walked on past me as if I didn't exist.

        Later in my parents bedroom I heard them arguing again as to which side would take me. Neither side wanted to be bothered with me and the feeling was mutual. While they continued to argue I went into my room and packed up what I could and left. They didn't even notice me leaving. I used some of the money I had to make it here and took the entrance exam to your school. Now here I am." Keiko finished lying down on her back.

        "Keikokun, I'm glad I met you." Tohru said taking her hand.

        "Me too." Keiko agreed drifting off to sleep.

_        "It's strange." _Tohru thought as her mind drifted into sleep. _" I remember hearing about that incident on the news; how the super model was in a fatal car accident with her husband, but the reporter never mentioned their daughter. Has it always been like that for Keiko, no one acknowledging her presence in this world except for her parents? Yet, another thing we have in common in a way. All my life I've been picked on and Keiko, I suppose all her life she's just been ignored. _

_        I hope we can stay friends living together like this. I hope Shigure doesn't tell Akito about Keiko knowing their secret. I may have been able to stay, but if Shigure tells Akito that another "outsider" has found out about them…" _In her mind Tohru remembered the day she went to see Akito. He probably would have seriously hurt her if Shigure and Yuki were not there to stop him._ " I don't want to think about that."_ Tohru told herself as she fell asleep.

The next morning Tohru awoke bright and early (though not as early as Kyou). Looking over at Keiko she seemed so peaceful and adorable Tohru couldn't bring herself to awake the girl from her slumber. Instead she just got out of the bed and gently tucked the covers around her friend then went to prepare breakfast.

        "So where's Keiko?" Shigure asked as everyone sat down to eat.

        "Oh, she must still be sleeping. I'll go get her." Tohru said.

        "No, you should sit down and enjoy this lovely meal you prepared for us." Shigure said as he stood up from the table. "I'll go wake her." He volunteered seeming a little too eager to take on the task.

        "No you won't!" Yuki and Kyou growled leaping to their feet.

        "It's ok, no one has to come get me." Keiko said coming down the stairs appearing to be very exhausted.

        "Keikokun are you ok?" Tohru asked stopping in front of her and taking a good look at her face.

        "I'm ok." Keiko said with a scratchy voice.

        "You don't sound ok." Kyou said looking at the hunched over girl leaning on the banister of the stairs.

        "You should go back to bed." Kyou instructed.

        "No, I'll be fine I just need to eat something, that's all." Keiko said moving to step off of the last stair and falls into Tohru, knocking her on the floor.

        Tohru put her hand on the girl's forehead and found it unusually hot. "Keikokun, is sick." She announced.

        "Figures." Kyou scuffed. "This is all your fault you damn rat."

        Irritated by Kyou's comment Yuki stood up and in no time flat was holding Kyou's head back as he forced stewed leeks into his mouth.

        "Yuki aren't you over doing it a bit?" Shigure said sweat drops forming on the back of his head. "Anyway," he said in a more cheerful tone turning his attention away from the feuding duo, "Keikokun has been spending a lot of time with Yukikun. Being around each other so much it's understandable why she would end up catching his germs." Shigure said pointedly.

        Fueled by anger Keiko founded the energy to stand up. Within seconds Shigure found himself cornered by two very sick very angry teenagers.

        "What exactly are you getting at, you sick bastard!" They simultaneously yelled as they put a hurting on the mischievous dog.

        After his beating Shigure left out of the house to go shopping for more medicine while Tohru and Kyou went to school.

        Keiko and Yuki laid curled up on the floor on either side of the heater in silence for a good long while until Yuki spoke.

        "You know I hate to admit it, but Kyou's right. It's my fault you got sick. If I hadn't have asked to stay with me yesterday-"

        "Oh, stop it already. I'm the one who cut class to come back here in the first place. These things just happen sometimes." Keiko said turning onto her other side.

        "So, you're not mad?"

        "No, would you like me to be?" Keiko asked sitting up.

        Yuki did not respond right away feeling embarrassed. "And what about the curse?"

        "What about it?" Keiko asked agitatedly.

        "Nothing, never mind." Yuki said turning on his side and turning on the television.

        Getting up Keiko walked over to Yuki and sat down beside him. "No, I didn't mean that. The truth is I was upset last night, but after talking with Tohru I felt much better. Everything is fine now."

        "I'm glad." Yuki said with relief. "I'm glad you're not angry with us and I'm glad you're here." He said taking her hand.

        "Me too." Keiko said falling asleep again and as she did her head fell over on Yuki's shoulder.

        "I'm home." Shigure announced entering the house a few minutes later to find the pair sitting side-by-side asleep Keiko's head still resting on Yuki's shoulder and his head leaning against hers. Shirgure smirked at the sight. "I said I'm home!" Shigure announced again with a rised voice waking them up.

        Keiko and Yuki opened their eyes to find the other staring right back. Both startled to see a pair of eyes staring back at them upon waking up the two jumped bumping heads."

        "Ow!" They both said grabbing their heads at the same time.

        "Oh, good your up." Shigure said suppressing a laugh. The two looked ridiculous from his point of view.  Yuki and Keiko just groaned. Are you two doing any better? Shigure asked as he went over to them and felt their foreheads. "My my, you two are still quite warm. You better take some more medicine. Lucky for you I went to the pharmacy this morning-." Shigure stopped short in his sentence when he suddenly coughed.

        "Looks like you've got it too, Shiguresan." Keiko teased.

        "It would appear so. Guess I will be joining you two by the heater shortly." Shigure said standing when he heard the doorbell ring. "Wonder who that is?"Shigure wondered outloud. Walking over to the door Shigure opened it and saw Hatori. Immediately Shigure closed the door.

        "Shigure? What are you doing? Open the door." Hatori called from outside.

        "Just a minute." Shigure responded nervously running back into the living room. "Hide!" He whispered. Immediately Yuki took Keiko by the hand and ran out of the room.

        "Shigure, if you don't open this door I'm still coming in." Hatori threatened.

        "Coming!" Shigure called nervously. Rushing to the door he opened it greeting his cousin as if everything were fine.

        "You're behaving stranger than usual." Hatori commented as he shuffled out of his shoes. Shigure laughed nervously. "What's so funny?" Hatori asked sounding as if he were angry.

        "Oh, nothing. You're just so serious all the time that's all. So, why have you stopped by all of a sudden?

        "Yes, well I learned from Momiji last night that Yuki was sick. I would have came right away, but Akito's been keeping me busy lately."

        "Hello." Yuki greeted coming back after hiding Keiko.

        "Oh, well good to see you're up and about today. I'll have a look at you in just a second." Hatori said walking past him.

        "Um, Hatori where are you going?" Yuki asked catching up to him.

        "If you must know the toilet." Hatori answered annoyed.

        "You can't use it right now."

        "And why not?"

        "Because, I um, just came out of there."

        "And…"

        "Do I have to say it?" Yuki growled.

        "Fine, I'll just use the upstairs one, now if you will excuse me." Once Hatori was gone Yuki gave a sigh of relief.

        "Nice save, Yukikun." Shigure applauded. "But not so good idea to hide Keikokun in the bathroom."

        "I panicked." Yuki admitted angrily.

        Once Hatori returned from the restroom Yuki did his best to get rid of him by telling the doctor he was just fine, but Hatori checked his breathing and gave him a shot anyway. After finishing up Yuki Hatori turned to Shigure, who had been stifling coughs the whole time, after preparing a fresh syringe. "Your turn Shigure." He said holding up the needle. Shigure doubled back nearly falling on his backside.

        "Haasan, is that really necessary, it's just a cold after all. I think you just like sticking people with that thing, especially me," Shigure added under his breath.

        "Very well, then." Hatori said putting the needle away. Then turning to Yuki. "If he gets any worse call me." Yuki nodded and with that Hatori left.

        Shigure gave an exasperated sigh. "I thought he'd never leave."

        Yuki then stood to attention as if suddenly remembering something. "Keikochan!" He said running to the bathroom.

        When Kyou and Tohru came home they found Shigure, Yuki, and Keiko all seated around the heater with red noses.

        "Damnit, now you've got it too!" Kyou complained looking directly at Shigure. "I'm going to my room and I don't want any of you knocking at my door or bothering me in any way. I don't want to go catching a cold from any one of you!" He yelled just before stomping off, but sure enough later that night Kyou was down stairs with the rest of them coughing and blowing his nose leaving Tohru the only healthy one in the house to tend to all of them.

A/N: Haha, Yuki pulled a Kyou in this one. What better spot to hide a person than the bathroom? Hehe.

**­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­**

It has nothing to do with the plot:

Bootleg Omake Theater #1. (Use Your Imagination.)

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­

        Kyou and Keiko had been sitting on the roof all day. The sun had set and the stars had come out. Everyone else had eaten dinner and by this time the two where so hungry their ears were ringing with the sound of their growling stomachs.

        "Are you two coming down to eat?" Tohru asked finally coming up to check on them.

        "No." Kyou answered to hungry to move.

        "Onigiri…" Keiko said looking at Tohru not hearing a word she said.

        "I wonder if it's salmon filled?" Kyou asked out loud as Tohru became a giant onigiri in his eyes.

        "I don't care what it's filled with I'm going to eat it!" Keiko declared.

        "Wait no! It's me Tohru. You can't eat me!"

        "I didn't know onigiri could talk." Kyou said common sense eaten away by the hunger that had consumed him.

        "I didn't hear anything." Keiko said looking around. "Um, where did it go?" She asked not seeing the giant onigiri (Tohru) anywhere in sight.

Author's second note:

Yeah, yeah, I know that little add on didn't make sense- it wasn't supposed to. Anywayz! Moving on. Next chapter!

        Shigure and Hatori are really close friends. I don't think he'll be able to keep his new house guest a secret from him for much longer, but when Shigure tells Hatori the news will his loyalty to Akito cause him to rat out (no pun intended) his life long friend?


	4. Confession

Eye of the Storm  
  
Chapter 4 Confession  
  
The occupants of Shigure's house had slowly started to recover after a few weeks had past, everyone that is except Shigure. Keiko was the first to get better and was back to her perky self within a week however; Kyou and Yuki were still a little ill. Though they were well enough to go to school, they had to face masks. This only drew more attention to Yuki, which he didn't want. His fan club was falling all over themselves bringing him warm meals everyday to help him get better. Kyou even had a few girls trying to make him feel better. Tohru was left untouched by the sickness that had struck the Sohmas and Keiko.  
  
"You know, I called Hatori." Yuki said entering Shigure's room with a bowl of hot soup.  
"Yukikun how could you?" Shigure asked weakly.  
"It's for your own good. I wouldn't have called him if you had gotten better like the rest of us, but instead you got worse. You should have just let him give you that shot."  
"No, I couldn't." Shigure said remembering the last time he allowed Hatori to give him a shot. It is true; he moaned and groaned like baby (and stalked Hatori day and night when all he needed was a good rest), but was that reason for him to be so cruel?  
"Tohru, made this for you." Yuki said setting the soup down by Shigure's futon.  
Shigure immediately sat up and started eating. "Chicken soup made with love." This is all that I need to get well.  
"Hatori is probably half way here, better hope it heals you before he arrives." Yuki said leaving the room.  
Moments later Tohru was opening the door for the dragon possessed doctor.  
"Where's Shigure?" Hatori asked once inside.  
"He's in his room." Tohru answered. Hatori nodded and went to Shigure's bedroom and closed the door.  
"Good evening Hatori, what brings you by?" Shigure greeted trying to play innocent.  
"You know perfectly well why I'm here." Hatori answered as he prepared the injection. "I should have done this while I was here last time."  
"And you don't have to do it this time either." Shigure said moving to the other side of the futon and onto the floor.  
"Now that you actually need a shot you're running."  
"I don't like that look in your eye, Haasan." Shigure said nervously.  
"Stop making excuses and take your shot like a man." Hatori said coming over to him.  
"That's where the problem lies; I am a dog or a man?"  
"That's enough! Give me your arm." Hatori ordered.  
"No!"  
"Shigure..." Hatori said becoming more irritated.  
"I don't wanna!"  
"That's it, your getting this shot one way or another." Hatori said coming after him.  
"KYAAA! Sadist!" Shigure screamed catching the attention of everyone in the house. Tohru, Yuki, and Kyou were peering curiously at the closed door to Shigure's room. Keiko had even poked her head out of hiding to see what she could see. There was more screaming and crashing sounds coming from the room and then suddenly a sound almost like an explosion. Lastly they heard the yelping of a dog then silence. Everyone sweat dropped. A minute later the door opened and Keiko disappeared. Hatori came out of the room appearing as if his little tussle with Shigure had never happened.  
"That stupid dog got all worked up and changed." Hatori muttered to himself under his breath. "He should be fine after a good night's rest." Hatori stated then left. Everyone then rushed into Shigure's room to see if he was alright. When they got there they found him in his dog form neatly tucked under the covers of his futon.  
"Shiguresan..." Tohru started.  
"...Are you hurt?" Keiko finished.  
"I didn't feel a thing." Shigure said sleepily. Everyone sighed.  
"Shigure, must you always make such a commotion when you get sick?" Yuki asked not expecting a satisfactory response.  
"I may be loud, but Yuki you had poor Keiko cutting class to entertain you all day." Shigure retorted. Tohru and Kyou then gave them both curious stares.  
"You saw?" Keiko asked appearing as if she had seen a ghost.  
"Why were you spying?" Yuki asked.  
"What exactly did you do to entertain him?" Tohru asked eager for a response.  
"Oh, nothing much." Keiko said becoming embarrassed. "Just made a clown of myself that's all." Keiko thought as her face turned red. (She doesn't like performing for audiences... Yuki caught her at a weak moment.)  
"Nothing much? Don't be so modest." Shigure said.  
"Really, Keikochan just kept me company." Yuki said mirroring Keiko's embarrassment. (He doesn't want anyone to know he was busting a gut laughing at Keiko's antics. In short self-conscious.)  
"Aren't you going to tell them what you did to make Yukikun's day?" Shigure asked.  
"No!" Keiko answered.  
"And if you say one more word about it I'll turn you into Inuyaki." Yuki threatened.  
"Help! Yukikun's going to eat me!" Shigure said hiding under the covers.  
Tohru and Kyou continued stare at the two, their defensiveness causing them to grow even more curious.  
"Yukisan, remember the thing we had to do today?" Keiko said making up an excuse to leave the house.  
"I almost forgot, we better get going right away." Yuki said following her lead.  
"What thing?" Kyou and Tohru asked simultaneously.  
"Bye-bye!" Keiko said leaving with Yuki.  
  
By the time they decided to return to the house the sun had long since gone down.  
"You think we should have just told them?" Yuki asked as he and Keiko walked down the path leading to Shigure's house.  
"Are you out of your mind? Our pride is on the line!" Keiko exclaimed.  
"We may have made things worse. Look how long we've been gone."  
"Yuki, you perv!" Keiko said whapping him across the head. "You've been hanging around Shigure too long. Besides, even if anyone's mind went there, besides yours, the staff at the ice-cream parlor can back us up. We were there well after everyone else had left, and besides that they were so busy staring at us that they could barely do their jobs."  
"Why is that?" Yuki wondered out loud looking puzzled.  
"One of two reasons. The second being that you ate enough ice-cream to feed a heard of elephants. You're such a pig." Keiko said with a small laugh.  
"And you ate twice that much, which makes you an even bigger pig than me." You said smiling. "But a very cute pig."  
"Don't pick on me." Keiko warned.  
Yuki then stopped walking and moved closer to Keiko. "You know you really are beautiful." He said causing Keiko to blush.  
  
Shigure was no longer in is dog form and was sitting at the heater reading a book when Yuki and Keiko finally made it back home.  
"Welcome back." Shigure said as Keiko and Yuki came into the living room.  
"Hi, Shiguresan. Glad to see you're doing better." Keiko greeted with a smile taking a seat at the heater, Yuki taking one right beside her.  
"So, how was your date?" Shigure asked ever mischievous.  
Yuki made no response, but Keiko was eager to answer. "We had a great time." Keiko said with the slightest hint of sarcasm. "He took me to a really nice restaurant.  
At this comment Yuki lifted an eyebrow. "You call Sandy's Crepes and Ice-cream a nice restaurant?"  
"So you did go on a date!" Shigure said excitedly.  
"Sort of." Yuki said not knowing how to define their outing.  
"Yukisan was the perfect gentleman." Keiko said then turned to face Yuki. "Thank you for showing me such a wonderful time Yukisan." Keiko said quickly kissing him on the cheek.  
"I'm going to bed." Yuki announced jumping to his feet with his hand to his face where Keiko had kissed him and ran out of the room hiding his face so Shigure could not see him blushing from head to toe.  
"That's what you get for being such a tease. I warned you not to pick on me." Keiko thought trying to restrain a laugh.  
"Keikokun, are you and Yukikun a couple now?"  
"Eh? No." Keiko answered with a straight face.  
"Then what is it? You can't deny you two have been sticking together like glue."  
"Well, I wouldn't say it is romantic but Yukisan is very important to me." Keiko said getting up to leave. "Good night Shiguresan."  
"Funny, that's the same thing Yuki said." Shigure thought to himself before returning to his book.  
  
The next day the home economics class for the third year and second year students was combined due to the absence of one of the teachers. Everyone was supposed to split up into groups of three, but since there was an odd number of students one group would only have two members. That day the class was given a simple baking project; each team had to make a small cake. Tohru teamed up with her friends Arisa and Saki. Kyou ended up with Hatsuharu and Momiji. Tohru of course did nearly all of the work for her group with some assist from her teammates. Out of the other two members of Kyou's group he was the fussiest concerning making the perfect cake. Hatsuharu and Momiji, but mainly Momiji, insisted on making a chocolate cake. Momiji energetic as ever constantly spilled the ingredients on the floor causing Kyou to nearly pop a vain however, most of the students in the class were having similar mishaps. One group even managed to burn their cake into a chocolate brick while other groups ended up with eggshells in their cakes. Other groups though they were able to get through the process without dropping eggshells in he batter or burning their project ended up with lopsided cakes. Yuki and Keiko had ended up in a group by themselves and somehow managed to destroy two cakes. Their first cake was in the oven too long and though it wasn't a brick when it came out of the oven it was blackened like burnt paper and when Keiko sat it on the counter it crumbled into a pile of ashes. Their second stuck to the pan and when Yuki tried shaking the cake it fell out of the pan, bounced off the counter and landed on the floor breaking into pieces. By the end of the period the other groups were able to fix their mistakes and bake acceptable cakes for a passing grade, however Yuki and Keiko had to stay after school and redo the project. At hearing this they were both in tears and utterly frustrated at their own inadequacy in the kitchen.  
"Ok, you two unless you get it right I have no choice but to give you both failing grades." The teacher said firmly but it was obvious he felt sorry for them. Yuki was a model student as well a Keiko and the teacher did not want to have to be the one to give them their first red mark. "I'm going to go run some errands. I should be back by 4:30 to review your work." Their teacher informed them as he left the room.  
"Let's get this over with." Yuki said giving a heavy sigh.  
"Right, but first let's try this. How about we make more than one cake at a time. All of them can't turn out they way our first two did."  
"That sounds like a good idea."  
"Yeah, I'm a genius." Keiko said chuckling with her eyes closed when she opened them she saw Yuki pouring nearly an entire bag of sugar into the mixing bowl. "What are you doing?" Keiko asked nearly shouting.  
"The cake mix isn't sweet enough, so I'm putting more sugar in it to compensate." Yuki informed as he finished emptying the bag.  
"That's too much sugar you're gonna give the teacher diabetes!"  
"It's better than putting in five extra sticks of margarine like you did our first cake. If it didn't burn it would have given the teacher a heart attack with one bite!"  
"Well thanks to you turning the oven temperature to maximum it burned! Besides that if you had not smashed our last cake taking it out of the pan we wouldn't be here!"  
"That cake was a disaster waiting to happen I did us both a favor by burning it!"  
"Is that so?!"  
"Yes, that is so!"  
"You asked for it!" Keiko said grabbing up a handful of flour.  
"You wouldn't!" Yuki was looking at Keiko wide eyed as she held the flour in her hand ready to throw it.  
"Wanna bet?" Keiko said throwing the flour and nailing Yuki right in the face.  
"So, that is how it is..." Yuki said grabbing up a handful of the over sweetened cake dough he had made.  
"No! Don't do it Sohma Yuki!"  
"Why not?" Yuki enquired throwing the batter at Keiko. The dough hit her in the face and splattered all over her clothes and hair.  
"You're gonna pay for that!" Keiko said grabbing a bag of flour and flinging its contents at Yuki.  
"Why don't you come over here?" Yuki taunted as he grabbed the water nozzle from the sink and sprayed it at Keiko who was on the other side of the counter. Gasping Keiko jumped back too late, she was now soaked from head to toe in water and sticky cake batter.  
"You look funny!" Yuki said laughing so hard his eyes were squeezed shut. He didn't notice Keiko picked up the bowl of sugary cake dough and was preparing to fling it all on him. When Yuki opened his eyes all he could see was a white gooey mess flying at him and splattering him all over. Now Keiko was the one laughing. From there even more chaos ensued. The two spent thirty minutes throwing water and flour at each other until the chime alerted them that it was now four o'clock.  
"Um, truce?" Keiko offered lowering the bag of flour she was about to rip open and throw on Yuki.  
"For now." Yuki said lowering the water nozzle.  
When their teach came back to the classroom his mouth dropped in horror. "You two better have something to show for yourselves besides this mess!" The room was covered in water and flour.  
"Yes, we finished our project." Yuki said putting the last of the strawberries on the cake that decorated it. Somehow Yuki and Keiko managed to make the perfect strawberry short cake. Gulping the teacher took a bite and once he did his eyes lit up.  
"This is wonderful! I'll be taking this home with me." Their teacher said picking up the cake and taking another bite. "You two now have to stay and clean up this mess you made!" He yelled then turned and left the room.  
"Oh, bother." Yuki said surveying the once clean classroom.  
"We better get to work." Keiko said sighing. Keiko went to work wiping everything down while Yuki worked on mopping up the flour that had already started to dry on the floor. Sticking the mop into the bucket pulling it out Yuki knocked the whole thing over splashing Keiko who was a few feet away from him.  
"Hey!" Keiko said turning around.  
"Sorry, I'm just no good."  
"You sure are!" Keiko said laughing.  
"It's embarrassing to say, but before Tohru came to live with us Shigure's house was a disaster area, especially the kitchen." Yuki said filling up the bucket with more water and preparing to pour an entire bottle of ammonia into it when Keiko grabbed his hand.  
"Sounds like you guys never bothered to clean the house much until Tohru came. Somehow I get the feeling you are the type to make a bigger mess trying to clean it up than you would just letting it pile up."  
"Huh?" Yuki said as he felt Keiko gently push his arm down.  
"Yukisan, there's plenty of water and ammonia on the floor already. Just leave this bucket solution free to rinse down the floor after you mop it up."  
"I must seem really pathetic not being able to do a simple thing like mop." Yuki said putting the ammonia away.  
"At least your really good at everything else. So that sort of makes up for it." Keiko said smiling.  
"Only sort of?"  
"Don't push your luck." Keiko said returning to cleaning. "We still have a long way to go."  
  
When Yuki and Keiko returned Shigure greeted them as they came in.  
"You came all the way home looking like that." Shigure said through fits of laughter. Yuki and Keiko both had dried flour and sugar all over them.  
"Shut up." Yuki said passing his cousin side by side with Keiko.  
"So what are you two going to do now?" Shigure asked hoping to stir something up.  
"Take a shower." They both answered.  
"Oh my how naughty!" Shigure said laughing.  
"What?!" The pair said turning to face one another ignoring Shigure's comment.  
"I'm going in first!" Keiko declared.  
"No you're not! We wouldn't have ended up like this if you hadn't started that stupid fight. It's your fault so I'm going first."  
"Oh my, you two fight like an old married couple." Shigure stated with a chuckle.  
"Stay out of this!" They yelled at him.  
"You wait until I'm finished." Yuki said turning his attention back to Keiko.  
"Prince charming, not!" Keiko retorted. The two then gave each other looks that could have set anyone caught in between on fire.  
"Rock, paper, scissors." Yuki challenged.  
"How about first come first serve." Keiko said taking off. Yuki was going to start racing for the shower but Shigure had grabbed him by his collar and pulled him back causing him to fall hard on his backside.  
"Shigure..." Yuki said with a dark expression on his face.  
"Have you been taking lessons from Kyoukun?" Shigure asked referring to Yuki's seemingly uncharacteristic behavior. Yuki made no response but just sat on the floor with his head down.  
"What's wrong with me?" Yuki thought to himself. "I can't believe I just acted like that in front of Shigure."  
  
That night during dinner the tension between Keiko and Yuki was so thick it made the air in the room seem heavy. As they ate no one said a word. Tohru had cooked seafood tempura that for dinner and when it came down to the last shrimp Yuki and Keiko both wanted it. Realizing that Yuki had been eyeing the fish Keiko gave him a look that could kill if looks could do that. Yuki, somehow realizing why she was giving him that look gave her one of his own. For a few minutes the two were engaged in a death stare contest until a pair of chopsticks reached down between them and grabbed up the shrimp. They both shifted their attention to the owner of the chopsticks, fury in their eyes.  
"It seemed like no one was going to eat it so I helped myself." Shigure said with a small nervous laugh as Yuki and Keiko towered over him where he sat. "Now, now you two aren't going to try to beat me up over a shrimp are you? It would be much easier for you two to admit your in love than to take your frustration out on my."  
"How do you figure that?" Keiko asked with an eerie calmness to her voice.  
"I think things would be much easier just beating you to a pulp." Yuki said his eyes resonating.  
Tohru and Kyou were speechless. Yuki and Keiko seemed to be getting along very well until that day.  
"It's late and my heart can't take such a thing at this time of night." Shigure said making up excuses so that he wouldn't get beat up again (not that he couldn't stop them if he wanted to).  
"Fine." Yuki said calming down. "I've had a rough day and it was only a shrimp."  
"Guess I did get pretty carried away over a stupid piece of fish." Keiko admitted rubbing the back of her head smiling. Tohru and Kyou both sighed. From the they way those two were looking Kyou and Tohru thought Shigure was going to certainly be pounded into the center of the Earth.  
"I'm going to bed now." Yuki and Keiko said simultaneously as the started to leave the room.  
"Not together I hope." Shigure said teasingly. Fuming Keiko and Yuki both turned around with their fists balled up.  
"YOU SICK PERVERTED BASTARD!!!" They shouted giving Shigure the beating of his life.  
"Oh no, Shigure." Tohru said her eyes swirling as she looked upon the violence being commented to the dog possessed novelist.  
"That idiot." Kyou muttered looking down.  
"Oh! Ah! Don't!" Shigure pleaded running away, but not before getting roughed up a bit. He made an escape to the living room only to be cornered. After beating the stuffing out of Shigure, Keiko and Yuki walked away as if they didn't do a thing. Shigure laid on the floor his eyes swirling. "That girl has a mean left hook... and a devastating right." Shigure moaned holding his jaw.  
"It's your own damn fault for being such a pervert." Kyou said coming into the room with Tohru who immediately went to tending Shigure's injuries.  
"I can't help it, I am the dog after all."  
"That's no excuse!" Kyou yelled.  
  
The next day, before the occupants of his house returned from school, Shigure went over to the main estate to visit with Hatori.  
"Hello Haasan!" Shigure said gleefully as Hatori opened the door.  
"Shigure? What brings you here?"  
"I have something I need to tell you about." Shigure said with a serious tone. This intrigued Hatori so after inviting Shiruge in he sat down and listened to every word his cousin had to say.  
"Hatori, what are you doing?" Shigure asked as he watched his the doctor file through the nearby drawers and cabinets.  
There's got to be a pack somewhere around here. I couldn't have thrown them all away."  
"You mean a pack of cigarettes? We were supposed to be quitting together remember?" Shigure said reminding Hatori of the promise they made to coach each other out of the bad habit they both shared.  
"Akito just might blow his top over this one and you won't be the only one he takes his anger out on. I need to smoke to calm my nerves... It's either that or punch you for keeping such a secret from me. Why didn't you tell me? I could have helped you deal with Akito and the girl might have been able to stay." Hatori said knocking a book off the shelf accidentally.  
"I didn't want to take the chance he would say no. Unlike Tohru this girl has no home to go back to. She would be on the street." Shigure said solemnly.  
"That maybe true but still... How long did you think you could hide this from Akito?"  
"Well, just until she was old enough to marry me."  
"You really are a pervert." Hatori said continuing to look through the books on his shelf until he came across a near empty pack of cigarettes.  
"You know she's pretty mature for a teenager. I bet you would turn green if you saw her, knowing that she's staying at my house and not your own." Shigure said snatching the cigarettes away, crumpling them up and throwing them into the trashcan. "I wouldn't be a good coach if I let you light up."  
Hatori didn't say a word for a few seconds (he was in shock at how perverted Shigure was behaving at the moment). "Idiot." Hatori muttered looking at his cousin with a spark in his eye and clinched fists.  
"Um, Hatori, you're not going to hurt me too much are you?" Shigure asked backing away already knowing the answer.  
  
A short time later a beaten and bruised Shigure was drinking some hot tea while a somewhat calmer Hatori sat at his desk.  
"About the girl in regards to Akito-." Hatori started.  
"You aren't going to tell him are you?" Shigure asked with a nervous smile on his face.  
"No. As I was saying; ever since his encounter with Tohru, Akito has been pretty passive."  
"How so?"  
"It was during the time Akito usually takes his bath, Momiji accidentally walked in on him... Do you remember what happened the last time something like that happened?"  
Shigure only nodded. The last person who walked in on Akito was Yuki. When it happened Akito seemingly calm only dismissed the young boy and told him that he would be punished later that night for disturbing him. After being punished Yuki would crawl into bed with Shigure every night for a month. He didn't know what happened then and thought it was only some silly notion like there being a monster in the boy's closet the first few nights Yuki snuck into his room, but when he tried to coax intoYuki going back to his own room he refused and cried hysterically. It was only after an entire month had pasted did Shigure learn about what happened. For disturbing Akito in the bath Yuki had been grabbed out of bed in the middle of the night, dragged into a dark room and ordered to keep quiet. Yuki had stayed in that pitch-black room for three days before Akito finally released him.  
"This time all he did was tell Momiji it was rude to disturb someone in the bath, that if he was coming in Momiji should have asked to join him before hand. Then he asked him about school."  
"Nothing happened?" Shigure asked worried.  
"Momiji was a bit frightened, but you know what he told me? That he actually had fun talking with Akito." Hatori said causing Shigure's mouth to drop wide open. "Shigure, this would be the most opportune time to tell Akito about your new house guest."  
"Even so he might still blow his lid."  
"Yes, but it could turn out much worse if Akito found out when he was not in such a good mood... so to say."  
  
It was a few more cups of tea and a few more hours later before Shigure left Hatori's house to see Akito. The doctor was right; he wouldn't be able to hide Keiko from Akito forever and it was only a matter of time before he found out. It would be in the best interest of Keiko and the cursed Sohmas if he told Akito now.  
Akito was sitting on the porch just outside his room when the door to the hallway slid open. "Long time no see, Shigure." Akito said not bothering to turn and face Shigure as he entered his room. "What brings you here to see me?" The man asked setting the small bird free that he had been holding in the palm of his hands for some time.  
Taking a seat to Akito's right just a few paces behind him Shigure took an inaudible deep breath. "I have another guest in my home." He admitted.  
"Another girl knowing you." Akito commented making a joke that only he smiled at. The comment only made Shigure nervous, but he kept silent. "Has she found out about the curse?" Akito asked as the same bird he had set free came and landed on his outstretched hand.  
"Yes." Shigure answered preparing himself for what might happen next.  
"Oh? Who bumbled this time? Was it that cat again?" Akito asked his attention somewhat divided between Shigure and the bird that had come to rest on his hand.  
"It was Yuki."  
"Ah, well the cat has nothing on Yuki in this regard. This would be the second time the boy his let out the family secret. I suppose we should be thankful it wasn't as big of a show as it was the last time." When Akito said this Shigure's expression hardened; he was worried that Akito just might order Hatori to erase Keiko's memories. "Tell me Shigure, do you trust this girl to keep the Sohma family curse a secret?"  
"Yes, when she found out about our secret she gave us her word she would not tell anyone."  
"When did she find out?" Akito asked his eyes shifting from the bird to Shigure.  
"About two weeks ago." Shigure answered feeling uneasy.  
"Two weeks... And how long had she been staying with you before she found out?" Akito asked holding the bird close to his chest as he continued to look upon Shigure.  
"Nearly fourteen days."  
"Another two weeks. It would seem like you had this planned Shigure." Akito said seriously though he was only joking then as well. "I will allow her to stay with you, but I want to meet her this weekend." Akito said releasing the bird. "Bring her and everyone else as well." He said looking up at the sunny sky. There was a short pause before he spoke again. "What's her name?"  
"Yamada Keiko."  
"Hm, is she as cute as Honda Tohru?"  
"You mean, is she as ugly has Tohru?" Shigure asked not hiding that he was upset by Akito's question.  
Akito chuckled softly. "No, I really do think Tohru is cute."  
"And about her being ugly?" Shigure asked recalling the conversation they had the day he, Akito and Hatori went to the entrance ceremony for Hatsuharu and Momiji. On the way home Akito mentioned that he had ran into Tohru and Yuki. When Shigure asked what Akito thought of her he said she was the ugliest girl he had ever seen.  
"I spoke out of anger then." Akito calmly answered. "In the middle of my conversation with Yuki that day she pushed me."  
"I'm sure she didn't do it purpose."  
"She ran over and pushed me and almost knocked me down." Akito said dismissing any excuse Shigure could conger up that would explain away Tohru's aggressiveness toward him. "Needless to say I was very angry with her." He said giving a small hushed laugh. "She must have somehow picked up on how frightened Yuki was at the time and wanted to get me as far away from him as she could."  
"You almost seem happy about it now." Shigure commented wondering where the conversation was going.  
"It seemed to me at the time she trying to take Yuki and the rest of you away from me. My jealousy got the best of me when I realized how much you cared for this girl I had yet to meet then."  
"Akito, despite all you have done in the past we still care about you. We are your family after all."  
Akito suddenly felt his heart ache and brought his hand to his chest. Deep down inside he still found it hard to believe that the juunishi and Kyou would even care about him at all. All his life he would hear their parents say, either to his face or behind closed doors how thankful they are that Akito was made to take on the bruit of the curse so that their children could live happily once he dies. They were eager and couldn't wait, the ones that didn't abandon their children. Though they always made it a point to show gratitude for the sacrifice Akito was made to take before he was even born, their words burned in his ears, in his mind, and in his heart.  
  
"Once Akito is dead I will be finally able to hold my son." "When Akito dies I will be able to finally embrace my daughter." "Our children will be able to live normal lives."  
  
They were celebrating his death and he wasn't even halfway gone yet. Those joyous words burned Akito to the core. They could care less about him living and being happy and the more he recalled their smiling at the thought of him dying the more his heart hardened. The more he dreamed the more they became nightmares of him being in a casket with no one crying for him but happy and smiling and celebrating, thanking God he went quickly; the more bitter he became. All of this played on his mind causing him to be an angry bitter vindictive child and as time went on Akito slumped into a severe state of depression. The only reason he didn't kill himself was the burning image of them dancing and celebrating as his body was lowered into a grave. If he had to suffer then they would suffer. No matter how sick he became this thought continued to sustain him.  
Now those thoughts were buried deep, because now all he could think about was what Tohru had said the day she came to see him. "When you die we all will be very sad." He didn't want to hear that. He didn't want to believe that it could be true. He didn't want to have hope for it only to be shattered by smiling facing as he lay dying. Still, Akito couldn't help but hope that the people he cared about, though he barely showed it, would actually miss him when he passes away.  
"Shigure, I want you to bring her here Saturday morning at 9 am sharp." Akito softly ordered. Shigure nodded and dismissed himself.  
  
A/N: Okay before anyone gets any weird ideas the tub in the main house is big enough to hold twelve full grown adults and in more like common area to relax after a shower. Of course the men have a separate bath from the women.  
ANYWAYS! What's Akito up to? Is he actually throwing in the towel and not be such an evil bastard? The answer to those questions and more will be revealed later; because next chapter the focus moves toward Kyou. He hasn't made much of an effort to be friends with Keiko and with the sudden rift between her and Yuki could a new friendship form between Keiko and the Cat? 


	5. The Perfect Couple?

Eye Of The Storm;

Chapter 5

The Perfect Couple?

          The next morning Keiko and Yuki were coming out of their rooms at the same time. Yuki was still half asleep, but when he turned around and saw Keiko he blinked waking up. For a moment the two stared at each other as if one of them would say something but instead they just abruptly turned from one another and went their separate ways; Yuki to the bathroom and Keiko downstairs. Even has they walked to school the tension between them seemed thick which had Tohru worried.

          "Kyoukun, they seem really angry with each other." Tohru commented as she watched the two walking side by side to school. Keiko and Yuki were ahead of them and out of earshot.

          "Don't worry about them. As much as those two are in each other's face they'll make up in no time."

          "You really think so?" Tohru asked hoping her two friends would make up soon.

          "Look, who cares? Just forget I said anything." Kyou said trying to cover up the fact he was worried as well.

          By the time lunch period came around the whole school had noticed that Keiko and Yuki were not exactly on friendly terms. Within the short time that Keiko had been attending the school she had already been declared the princess. Aside from Keiko being good at academics and sports like Yuki she was the most attractive girl in the school and more outgoing compared to Yuki. Since they were seen together more often than not the other students had began to refer to them as the royal pair and it was a rumor that they were actually dating.

          "Look, look!" Member No.2 of the Prince Yuki fan club whispered to Member No.1.

          "What is it?" No.1 asked looking up from her lunch.

          "Prince Yuki and Princess Keiko aren't talking to each other." No.2 said excitedly.

          "They aren't?"

          "No! And they look pretty upset."

          "Do you think something bad could have happened?"

          "No, something great!"

          "What?"

          "They broke up!" No.2 elated, her voice rising, but quickly hushed herself.

          "Hmm, they do look pretty upset." No.1 observed as they continued to stare over at the two. "But if that's true why are they still sitting together?"

          "Maybe they are miserable together and neither of them can bare to tell they other they want to break up."

          "That would be sad if they actually broke up." No.1 said eating a bit of rice.

          "No it wouldn't! Who's side are you on anyway?"

          "But they look so cute together."

          "Have you forgotten that you're a member of the Prince Yuki fan club? If anyone is going to have him it should be one of us!"

          "Oh, yeah." No.1 said as a sweat drop formed on her head. "Right!"

          "Come on!" No.2 said suddenly standing to her feet.

          "Come on? Where? I haven't finished my lunch." No.1 complained.

          "We've got to alert the President (of the fan club)." No.2 said grabbing No.1 and rushing off.

          The rumor that the prince and princess had split up was all over the school by the end of the day. When Yuki and Keiko were coming out of their last class they found themselves surrounded by curious schoolmates. Yuki sweat dropped but tried to pretend as if nothing was wrong.

          "Keikochan if you really did break up with Yukikun I'll be your boyfriend!" One boy offered out of the crowd.

          "Sohmasan, is it true? Are you really avai- I mean did you really breakup with Yamadasan?" A girl asked.

          Keiko's head was swimming. It seemed like every guy in the school was trying to ask her out on a date at the same time. _"How can he stand this?" _Keiko thought looking over at Yuki.

          _"I can't stand this." _Yuki thought wanting to get as far away from the crowd as he could.

          "Is a celebrity here?" Arisa asked as she, Saki and Tohru were walking together down the hall and came upon the crowd currently surrounding Yuki and Keiko.

          "Keikochan!" A boy shouted.

          "Yukikun!" A girl cried.

          "You have to tell us." They all pleaded.

          "No, we didn't break up." Yuki answered and the whole crowd gasped. Keiko sweat dropped.

          "But the whole school knows you're miserable together so why don't you just break up?" A girl shouted causing the whole crowd to irrupt again.

          "Who would have thought the prince and princess were actually a couple." Arise said surprised.

          "Wow I didn't know either." Tohru said. "And to think we've been living together for a month."

          "So Keikochan is living with you and the Sohmas." Saki said catching Tohru's comment.

          "Well, yes. I'm sorry I didn't say anything." Tohru apologized giving a bow to her two closest friends.

          "You don't have to apologize. You just didn't want us to worry right? After all it is strange that that novelist took in complete another stranger that all happens to be teenage girl." Arisa said getting a violent look in her eye. "He hasn't tried to touch you or anything has he? "

          "No! No, not all." Tohru answered shaking her head.

          "Shigure seems to be a very good person, but even vibes can be deceiving. If he had done anything to you we would have to make him pay." Saki said her eyes illuminated by an eerie light.

          "Everyone, will you please listen?" Keiko shouted. "Me and Yuki didn't break up because we were never a couple in the first place."

          "Then why are you two always together?" A boy asked then the crowd started up again.

          _"I don't know how much more of this I can take." _Yuki thought becoming nervous. The crowd seemed to be closing in on them and the space that was between him and the horrid of girls seemed to shrink though no one had actually made a move to come any closer to him or Keiko. Not thinking he grabbed Keiko's hand.

          "Yuki?" Keiko said as his hand clutched hers; it was sweaty and shaking. _"He really is bothered by this and understandably so. They crowd is awfully close and we can't push through them to get away or he could end up transforming." _Keiko thought trying to figure out a way to get rid of the crowd when a light came on in her head.

          "It's true! We're not a couple!" Keiko restated for the fifth time since the whole commotion begin.

          "Then explain." A girl demanded as she pointed downward to their locked hands.

          "Well um, around so many people I'm afraid of doing something silly so I grabbed Yuki's hand for support."

          "No, I saw it, he grabbed your hand." A guy behind them claimed.

          "Oh, that's right. Me and Yuki are really good friends so he knows how being in large groups makes me nervous and so he just grabbed my hand to make me feel better." Keiko said trying to cover for the previous lie she told. "Right Yukisan?"

          "That's right." Yuki said holding up their joint hands as he nervously smiled.

          "You don't have to be nervous." A dark haired boy stated. "We love you!"

          "Go out with me Keikochan!" Another yelled.

          "No choose me," a third called out.

          "What's going on?" Hatsuharu asked as he and Momiji walked up to Tohru and her friends.

          "Hello." Saki greeted.

          "Well it seems that the prince and princess have their hands full trying to convince their love sick subjects that they're not a couple." Arisa answered. "It's funny to watch. If you ask me I think they're lying through their teeth cuz they want to stay ammoniums, but only Tohru knows for sure." She said turning her attention to her friend. "So spill it. Are they a couple or not?"

          "Well, you see-."

          "She doesn't know." Saki said interrupting. "Don't you remember what she said earlier?"

          "Oh yeah, that's right. Sorry for asking such a dumb question." Arisa apologized rubbing the back of her head.

          "Still I get the sense they are in fact hiding something." Saki said.

          "So you're saying they could be a couple?" Arisa asked.

          "Who knows." Saki answered.

          "If they really are that would be interesting." Momiji chimed in. "But that would be to bad for y-." Before Momiji could finish what he was saying Hatsuharu clamped his hand over the rabbit's mouth.

          "If they really are a couple and want to keep it a secret shouldn't everyone just stop bothering them?" Hatsuharu asked.

          "That's why we're over here." Arisa said looking over at the mob of students. "Gez, that's gotta be damned annoying. Why don't they just push through and leave?"

          "That would be rude." Saki answered. "A prince nor a princess is never rude."

          "Yeah, but still at this rate they'll be here for the rest of the day." Arisa said lifting her hair from her eyes to get a look at the clock on the wall.

          "What are you all standing over here for?" Kyou asked seeing the small group in the hall. "And where's Keiko and that damn Yuki?"

          "Their over there." Saki answered pointing to the larger crowd of students a little ways down the hallway.

          "What the-? What's going on?" He asked.

          "It seems everyone is trying to find out weather or not Yuki and Keiko are a couple." Hatsuharu answered.

          "Their all excited over that? Gez don't they have anything better to do?" Kyou wondered out loud.

          "I bet the only reason Kyoun-Kyou here isn't curious is because he already knows." Arisa stated hoping to get some answers out of the cat.

          "I already know what?" Kyou demanded.

          "Weather or not those two are a couple, duh."

          "I don't know anything!"

          "Don't tell me you could care less; a hottie like Keikochan living in your house, I wouldn't believe it." Arisa said with a mischievious smile on her face. "Unless you are..."

          "Unless I am what?" Kyou interrupted. "I dare you to finish that sentence you ugly bitch!" Immediately Arisa grabbed Kyou's arm and was twisting it back painfully.

          "You wanna try calling me that again?" She taunted pulling on his arm back a little more.

          "Ah! Alright I give, I'm sorry." Kyou said as he felt his arm being twisted even more.

          "Okay you're forgiven." Arisa said releasing him. Kyou stepped away holding his aching arm.

          "You really shouldn't provoke her Kyou." Hatsuharu advised.

          "Still, it is strange." Saki stated. "You and the prince both seem to have an aversion to the opposite sex."

          "Not you too!" Kyou said obviously more than irritated.

          "All I said was that it was strange." Saki said staring Kyou down, eyes glowing with an eerie light again.

          "Well for your information I'm not!" Kyou declared.

          "You really do have a talent for making them upset." Hatsuharu commented.

          "Shut up!" Kyou snapped.

          "Please, we can't take it any longer!" A boy said being over dramatic. "You have to choose one of us Keikochan or we'll never rest."

          "Choose me!" People started shouting randomly at the pair. Keiko gave a heavy sigh as she looked over the crowd and saw Momiji waving.

          "Ah, Momijikun!" Keiko shouted waving back. All the boys present fell to the side heartbroken making a clear path for Keiko to walk through. Still holding on to Yuki's hand she quickly ran through the crowd over to her friends.

          "Hi everyone!" Keiko greeted. "Momiji you saved me, thank you."

          "No problem!" Momiji declared happily.

          "Yuki!" A girl shouted as the crowd of girls started to make their way over to the group, but suddenly stopped when they saw Saki looking as if she was preparing to use poison waves on them and Arise looking as if she was going to follow up with her fists. They paused for a second in debate of weather or not to continue their pursuit then quickly ran away. Yuki was sorely embarrassed for not being able to stand up for himself and flat out tell the girls to stop bothering him and was standing with his free hand over his face.

          "Thanks." He muttered before looking up at the group.

          "No problem." Arisa said.

          "Yes, don't worry about it." Saki added.

          Now that things had calmed down Yuki and Keiko suddenly became aware they were still holding hands. Looking at each other as if they were going to say something everyone present could feel the wave of tension rising between them.

          "Um, Keikokun, Yukikun?" Tohru called their names worriedly.

          "Damn what the hell just happened?" Arise wondered out loud.

          "Go figure." Kyou added.

          "Ah, what a wonderful storm of vibes Saki commented.

          The two had let go of one another's hand and were now facing each other with intense stares when they suddenly parted.

          "I have a student council meeting." Yuki said.

          "Momiji do you want to take a walk in the park with me?" Keiko asked as she continued to walk.

          "Sure!" Momiji answered cheerily as he took off after her. Hatsuharu groaned.

          "Jealous." Saki commented.

          "A little." Hatsuharu admitted.

          Kyou rolled his eyes. "I'm going home." He said turning away from the group. "You coming?" He asked looking over his shoulder at Tohru.

          "Y-yes!" Tohru answered. "See you tomorrow." She said to her two friends.

          "I'm coming too." Hatsuharu said joining them.

          "What? Why?" Kyou demanded.

          "Because…" Hatsuharu replied.

          "Because what? No, go home."

          "Uh, it's ok, I don't mind." Tohru said trying to calm the situation before it turned ugly.

          "Fine." Kyou relented with a heavy sigh.

          In the park Momiji was happily trotting along side Keiko.

          "Isn't it a beautiful day?" He asked, but received no response. "Oh, are you really that upset with Yuki?"

          "Huh?" Keiko said looking over at the bunny. "I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention."

          "It may be none of my business, but are you and Yuki really that angry with each other? Did he do something to make you so upset?"

          Keiko gave a heavy sigh. "No, it's stupid really. Remember that baking project we had to do? Well, neither of us can cook and so we had to stay after school to redo the project. Anyway, we started arguing and I started a food fight."

          "Really? That must have been fun."

          "It kinda was." Keiko admitted. "But, we totally trashed the place and had to stay after even longer to clean it up." I'm the one who started the whole thing and feel really bad that he had to stay after and clean up the mess with me. I want to apologize, but I don't think it will help any, besides that…there's something else that's bothering me a lot, but I don't think I can talk to him about it."

          _"Keikochan and Yuki do seem to be really close for some reason. Maybe she is really love with him and is afraid he doesn't feel the same way, so she won't admit her feelings for him and I bet Yuki feels the same way." _Momiji thought. "You two are really good friends right? So, I'm sure if you tell him what's on your mind everything will be just fine."

          "Really?" Keiko asked with a smile. "Thanks Momiji."

          "You're welcome." Momiji replied smiling back.

          "So, you're the Rabbit?" Keiko asked.

          "Uh-huh." Momiji answered. "So, you know about the zodiac thing, now?"

          "That's right."

          "And you don't have a problem with it?"

          "No."

          "Really?" Momiji asked excitedly.

          "Really." Keiko confirmed.

          "Great! Then I can hug you too!" Momji said suddenly wrapping his arms around Keiko surprising her. With a sudden loud noise and a puff of smoke Momiji's clothes were on the ground and Keiko was standing in an empty park holding onto a yellow bunny.

          When Keiko returned home everyone except Yuki was in the living room playing cards.

          "I'm home." Keiko announced as she came in.

          "Welcome back." Shigure said then noticed that she was carrying a set of clothes a bunny that was held close to her chest.

          "Momijikun…" Shigure said not knowing where to begin.

          "What?" Momiji asked. "She doesn't mind if transform."

          "That's not what she was talking about you little lech!" Kyou yelled as he stormed over and attempted to pluck the rabbit from Keiko's arms by the ears. Momiji quickly hopped out of her arms and behind Hatsuharu.

          "Wah! Kyou's trying to hurt me!" Momiji whined.

          "You're damn straight I'm trying to hurt you!"

          "Kyou calm down. I don't want my house getting smashed." Shigure said seeming to have no concern for Momiji's welfare.

          "It's ok." Keiko said. "He's just a kid after all."

          "What the hell's the matter with you?" Kyou asked yelling at her.

          "Momiji is the same age we are." Hatsuharu said.

          "What? But, he looked so young. I thought he was just smart for his age." Keiko admitted.

          "Don't worry it's not the first time he's deceived someone." Hatsuharu said hoping to relieve Keiko's obvious embarrassment. Suddenly Momiji transformed.

          "Awe, it's not like I did it on purpose!" He complained. "I'm sorry Keiko for now on I'm going to be more upfront with you, ok?"

          Keiko sweat dropped.

          "Um, Momijikun, you might want to put your clothes back on." Shigure suggested.

          "Oh, right!" Momiji said running from behind Hatsuharu and grabbing his clothes from Keiko, and racing out of the room.

          "I'll go start dinner." Tohru said trying to ignore the fact that Momiji just tore through the room completely naked.

          "I'll help." Keiko said doing the same.

          "Ma, you and Momiji certainly have no shame." Shigure said as the two girls left the room.

          "You're one to talk." Hatsuharu said narrowing his eyes.

          Later that night Keiko and Yuki still had yet to make up. Keiko was presently in the room she and Tohru shared balancing her check book. The account she had was set up by her parents as a college fund and originally Keiko would not have been able to manage it until she graduated from high school, but with her parents dead Keiko was able to access the money for living expenses due to an in case of death clause in the account agreement. Keiko would have used the money to rent an apartment, but whenever she met with a landlord they just laughed at her and told her to go home. They had no idea that Keiko had no home to go to. Trying to explain her situate to them more than likely would have fueled their laughter at what they took as a joke so she didn't bother. People could be so cruel. Like Tohru Keiko hand much experience with how hurtful people could be, but unlike Tohru who would not allow herself to complain or feel down in any way, Keiko buried it deep inside. Though her broken heart had never shed a tear until she met Tohru, not being able to freely grieve over the recent death of her parents, every time a landowner laughed at her request to rent from them it hurt her deeply. With a heavy sigh Keiko finished the last calculation and placed the checkbook under the mattress. Hearing a creaking over her head Keiko climbed out of the window and onto the roof in her pajamas figuring it was only a squirrel or something and instead found Kyou pacing.

          "Oh, so it was you." Keiko said as she came to her feet."

          "What, did I wake you up or something?" Kyou asked.

          "No, I just heard something on the roof and came to investigate. Now that I know it was you I wonder; why are you up here?"

          "It's really none of your business, but I'm up here because it helps me think." Kyou answered sitting down.

          "What do you think about?" Keiko asked.

          "Damn you're nosey."

          "Sorry, it's just that I've been here for a little while and we haven't really gotten to talk.

          "Fine, what do you want to talk about?" Kyou asked.

          "Well…"

          "Well?"

          "You see…"

          "See what?"

          "Nothing in particular." Keiko answered with a sweat drop.

          "Then why the hell are you up here bothering me?!"

          _"It figures." _Keiko thought to herself. "You're right sorry for interrupting," she said turning to leaving the roof.

          "No, wait. I didn't mean it to come out like that." Kyou said in a much calmer tone. "It's just that why all of a sudden you want to talk to me?"

          Keiko smiled and turned around taking a seat next to Kyou. "It's just that I never apologized to you."

          "For what?"

          "Well for being so dense and thinking you were Hondasan's cat and treating you the way I did. I'm sorry." Keiko said making a slight bow.

          "Hey, hey! Stop that. Don't worry about it. If it weren't for me being so clumsy it wouldn't have happened in the first place."

          "Thanks." Keiko said feeling a little relieved. _"Now if only I can work up the courage to talk to Yuki."_

          "What is it?" Kyou asked noticing the remorseful expression on Keiko's face.

          "Yuki…" Keiko said and suddenly Kyou felt like he had been punched.

          _"Damnit, I've stepped in it now." _Kyou thought putting his hand to his face as to straighten out his expression. "What about him?"

          "Why can't I just talk to him? The longer it takes the worse I feel and yet I just won't do it."

          "Idiot." Kyou said tapping her on the head with the back of his hand. "You and that damn rat; what's with you two?"

          "Huh?"

          "Never mind. What I just said." Kyou said dismissing the question he just posed. "Anyway listen. You're making a big deal out of nothing. Just tell him what's really on your mind."

          Keiko smiled. "Kyouchan."

          "What?"

          "Thanks." Keiko replied. _"Two people have said the same thing to me and they are both right, but if they only knew what I wanted to talk to him about… Would the still respond the same?_ Keiko thought looking into the night.

The two sat on the roof in silence for a while until Kyou noticed that Keiko was staring at him.

          "What is it now?" He asked.

          Keiko's face turned red, but in the dim light of the night sky it couldn't be noticed.

          "What? Just spit it out." Kyou demanded.

          "Your hair…" Keiko started.

          "Yeah, I know it's a weird color, I can't help it. Sometimes Sohmas under the curse are born with strange colored hair and eyes."

          "Oh." Keiko said getting sidetracked in her thoughts for a second. _"I wonder if that's why Hatsuharukun has such interesting hair coloring." _Snapping back to what she was going to say Keiko turned and looked out into the night. "I didn't know that, I think it's kind of cool looking."

          "Cool? How so?"

          "Well, I was thinking just now _"Kyouchan has a really interesting hair color; it looks good on him"_." Keiko admitted. "It matches your eyes and besides that it reminds me of how the sky looks when the sun is setting or when dawn is coming. The sky is lit up with different shades of oranges and reds. Those are my two favorite colors you know and I was just thinking that I wished I had hair that color. I could dye it, but it would probably only look stupid on me, like I dumped paint on my hair, but it looks really good on you Kyou and now I know why."

          Kyou blushed then looked over at Keiko and smiled. "You're weird."

          "Who are you calling weird? I'm a black belt in Tae Kwan Do. If you don't watch your mouth I'll have to rough you up." Keiko said jokingly.

          "Oh really? You're into material arts?" Kyou asked excitedly.

          The next morning everyone, except Shigure, was awaken by the sound of whaling.

          "Mii, calm down." Shigure said in an insincere effort to comfort the crying woman.

          "Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?" She whaled. "Why must you put me through such hell?!"

          "I'll finish it, eventually." Shigure said referring to a manuscript he had already completed. "Just talk to the publisher and see if can buy me a little more time." He said ushering the woman out of the door who continued crying and cursing him incoherently.

          "Shigure…" Yuki started still trying to wake up as he came down the stares. "Can't you find some other way to have fun?"

          "Uh… Nope!" Shigure answered cheerfully after taking a second to think about it.

          "Damn twisted dog." Kyou grumbled as he rubbed his eyes sleepily.

          "Ah, Kyoukun you're just waking up?" Shigure asked surprised. Without fail, even when it was raining, Kyou was usually awake before anyone else in the house.

          "I was up with Keiko all night." He answered groggily.

          "What exactly were you doing with Keikochan all night?" Yuki asked fully alert.

          "None of your damn business, damn rat!"

          "Kyoukun, you weren't doing anything indecent with Keikokun last night were you?" Shigure asked only for the purpose of instigating an argument, but before Kyou could react to the abase question Shigure was punched in the head from behind.

          "What the hell is wrong with you?" Keiko asked aggravated.

          "Keikokun." Tohru uttered shocked by Keiko's violent behavior so early in the morning.

          "Oh, morning Keikokun." Shigure greeted getting up off the floor. "I didn't know you were standing there."

          "Lucky for me." Keiko said sarcastically.

          "Morning everyone." Tohru greeted.

          "Morning." Yuki responded then looked over at Keiko. Yet again the air seemed to grow thick. Kyou rolled his eyes.

          "I can't take this. You three can walk to school without me." Kyou announced.

          "Who said they wanted you coming along n the first place?" Yuki asked.

          "You wanna start something you shit bastard rat?" No sooner did the words come out of his mouth did Yuki hit him right in it.

          "You're going down girly boy!" Kyou yelled after wiping the blood from his lip and the two boys were at it again. For a moment it looked as if Kyou had the upper hand when he grabbed Yuki and slammed him through the sliding doors. Unfortunately Yuki had a grip on Kyou as well and as he fell back he took the cat with him. Yuki's back it the wooden porch and his foot hit Kyou sending him flying over his head to land on the ground a good distance from the house. Yuki stood up panting.

          "Stupid cat." He grumbled then went to get dressed.

          "My, my it looks like Yukikun has to put a put bit more effort into it these days, but Kyoukun still didn't come close to beating him." Shigure commented.

          Kyou growled as he stood wiping blood from his mouth. "I swear… one day…" He mumbled to himself.

          After school Keiko separated herself from Yuki and the others to take a walk and hopefully clear her mind and decide on how to approach Yuki about what was bothering her. Coming to a bench she sat down and sighed. _"I really should have went to bed earlier last night. I'm so sleepy, but talking about martial arts with Kyouchan was so much fun. His master must truly be extraordinary; I can't wait to meet him one day." _Leaning back on the bench Keiko sighed. _"I don't think I could ever find a good way to approach him about this maybe I should just forget about it." _Keiko thought closing her eyes.

          "You must really be tired." She heard a voice say. It was so soft it sounded almost like a whisper.

          "Yeah…" Keiko answered not really awake.

          "It would be better if you went to bed." The voice advised.

          "Yeah…" Keiko answered again. "Just need to keep going a little more…"

          "Where are you going?"

          "I-." Keiko started to reply, but woke up with a start. _"I can't believe I just fell asleep out here." _Keiko thought not realizing she wasn't alone just yet. Turning to her left she saw an extremely attractive dark haired man sitting beside her. Keiko's heart nearly jumped in her throat. _"I heard a voice in my sleep, but I thought I was only dreaming." _Keiko thought, her heart still pounding.

          "Good evening." He greeted with an amused smile.

          "G-good evening." Keiko replied.

          "Did you enjoy your nap?"

          "I, um…" Keiko turned away embarrassed.

          "You looked so cute, I couldn't stand to wake you."

          "That's nice of you to say." Keiko said feeling even more embarrassed.

          "No, really." The man said laughing.

          "Thank you." Keiko said somewhat over her initial embarrassment.

          "It's such a lovely day." The man said.

          "Yes, it is." Keiko agreed.

          "I usually don't go out much, but since the weather was so nice I decided to go for a walk."

          "Un." Keiko said already asleep again. All day she had been having trouble staying awake in class. If Momiji had not been sitting next to her to wake her up every so often during class Keiko might have been reprimanded by the teachers for falling asleep in class. After class was over some of Keiko's energy returned, but seemed to fade away as soon as she exited the school doors. Opening her eyes for the second time she found herself laying across the stranger's lap. Popping up Keiko's face was red with embarrassment as she profusely apologized.

          "Don't worry about it." The stranger said. "I didn't mind. You seem truly exhausted, you should really get to bed." He said lowering his eyelids.

          "Yes, you're right. Again, I'm so sorry." Keiko said standing and giving a bow. "Good bye." She said hurrying off.

          When Keiko returned to the house she let out a frustrated sigh; she had forgotten about the broken sliding door.

A/N: Okay, usually I can't stand all those fan girls drooling over Yuki, but I found them amusing so they will pop up every now and then to annoy…er I mean adore him. If you ask me they should be drooling over Hatori! (j/k) Even though I like them all Hatori is my favorite…he's so adorable, when he doesn't have a cancer stick hanging out of his mouth. That's why in my fic both him and Shigure will be reframing from that nasty habit. (Hatorisan wa subarashii da yo ne.) Too bad you won't see too much more of him throughout this fic or any of the others I'm working on. L

Anywayz, moving on-

It's pretty easy to figure out who Keikochan met in the park, don't you think? BUT just incase you're still wondering it will all be revealed next chapter.


	6. Dropping The Bomb

Eye of the Storm

Chapter 6:

Dropping The Bomb

          It took longer for Keiko to repair the damaged sliding door than she estimated; she didn't figure in falling asleep periodically as she worked. After fixing the door Keiko took a cold shower to wake herself up and skipped soaking in the warm water of the tub afraid she would fall asleep and drown. Though the cold water helped somewhat to keep Keiko from drifting off to sleep while she studied it didn't last for long. Only thirty minutes had past when Keiko fell asleep on her open book at the table in the living room.

          "Keikokun, Keikokun." A gentle voice called.

          "Hm? What?" Keiko responded sleepily.

          "It looks like someone was working to hard last night." Shigure observed. "Let me guess last minute studying for a test?"

          "No, by the time I…" Keiko stopped short of what she was saying when she saw Yuki and Kyou walk into the room and groaned. "I'll go get ready for school Keiko said and rushed out of the room. Not having received a full night's sleep Keiko was a little on edge. Fixing the door really did take a long time and even asleep she was dreaming that she was still working on the door that was repaired.

During breakfast Keiko didn't say a word to anyone. Her thoughts seemed to wander between her frustration at Yuki and Kyou fighting and smashing Shigure's house that she found herself without antiquate energy to repair yesterday to wondering if everyone really was unburdened by her presence as they seemed. _"Why must they fight so much? Is Shiguresan really not bothered that much about his house getting wrecked every other day? I wonder if everyone is actually really stressed out from me being here, because they want to help me and are afraid of the head of their family finding out I'm here. What if that happens? Though it was vague, from what Yuki said this Akito doesn't seem like the type to over look such a thing. In fact when ever his name was mentioned they all seemed… afraid." _Keiko thought remembering the look in Shigure's eyes even though he smiled and was nonchalant as usual the day she had crashed into Hatsuharu and caused him to transform. _? Could that be the reason Yuki and Kyou are at each other so much? Hondasan did say they are fighting more than they used to. Oh, it's all my fault and here I had the nerve to get angry because I had to repair Shiguresan's door. I'm the reason they're fighting more than they used to. They're too nice to yell at me so instead they just take it out on each other. I'm nothing but a burden to these people. What was I thinking? Maybe it would have been better for me to rot on the street then to put them through this." _Keiko thought. Her mind stopped wandering when she suddenly became aware that someone was staring at her. Looking up her eyes met Yuki's.

          Shigure lowered the newspaper he was reading noticing the unmistakable change in the atmosphere. Kyou stopped eating and looked over at them, visibly annoyed.

          _"What happened?" _Tohru thought to herself. _"Keikokun and Yukikun were getting along so well now this." _

          "Excuse me." Keiko mumbled then quickly removed herself from the table. The thoughts that ran through Keiko's mind were the thoughts that had been running through her mind ever since the Sohmas took her in. She still could not accept their kindness because she still could not believe it to be true. How could strangers treat her so kindly, kinder than her own relatives and not ask for anything in return? In the cold harsh reality that Keiko was brought up in, despite the warm loving home her parents provided for her, there was no way that they weren't expecting something in return. At that moment the stress she felt had came to a climax and had made her physically sick.

          "Keikokun." Shigure called as he knocked on the door of the bathroom. "Are you ok?"

          "I'm fi-." Keiko started to answer but ended up vomiting again.

          "I'll come back later." Shigure said before returning to the dinning room.

          "Shiguresan, is Keikokun alright?" Tohru asked.

          "From the sound of it she's really sick. Tohrukun you didn't accidentally mix some bad vegetables in with the food this morning did you?" Shigure asked.

          Tohru panicked. "No, I thought they were fresh. I just bought them yesterday, unless they were bad when I bought them. Oh, no!"

          "Calm down, Hondasan." Yuki said. "I'm sure whatever's wrong with Keikochan has nothing to do with the food."

          "Yukikun did you do anything that would make Keikokun sick?" Shigure asked.

          "Like what?" Yuki asked angrily.

          "You two haven't been getting along at all lately. Dirty sneaky rat that you are, you probably poisoned her." Kyou said.

          "Idiot, what makes you think I would do something like that?"

          "Yeah, I bet you slipped some raw leeks into her food when no one was looking.

          "I didn't! And even if I did how are leeks poisonous?"

          "Um…" Tohru started not sure how to defuse the argument.

          "Gentlemen, please we have a very sick young lady in the house." Shigure said casually. Kyou and Yuki abruptly stopped arguing much to Tohru's relief.

          _"Stupid cat."_ Yuki thought.

          _"Damn rat." _Kyou thought.

          "Hm, now that that's all taken care of, why don't you three go on to school while I look after Keikokun." Shigure said taking a sip of tea. Everyone looked at him distrustfully.

          "What? Why are you all looking at me like that? You don't think I would do anything shady do you?" The only response he received were three simultaneous nods. "You too Tohrukun? I'm hurt." He said mockingly. "To prove you wrong I'll call Hatori over here right away."

          "You'll what?!" Yuki and Kyou shouted.

          "Shigure-." Yuki started but was cut off by Kyou.

          "Why can't you just take her to hospital?" Kyou boomed.

     "I could but it would be a perfect opportunity for Haasan to meet Keikokun."

          "What happened to keeping her a secret? If you tell Hatori you might as well tell that damn Akito!" Kyou yelled even louder. Shigure just smiled.

          "You didn't!" Yuki said standing to his feet recognizing the look on his older cousin's face. Shigure only laughed nervously. "So, what did he say?" Yuki asked ready to burst.

          "He wants to meet her this Saturday morning." Shigure answered.

          "That's tomorrow!" Kyou yelled jumping to his feet. "When the hell were you planning on telling us?" Shigure sweat dropped. In the beginning he had planned to not even to tell Keiko until that evening and let everyone else find out after Akito had met her. He felt it would be better that way. At the time of telling Akito that Keiko was living with them it seemed like a good idea, but as the week drew on the dog was having second thoughts and was now worried about the fate of young woman as well as their own.

          "I'm going to school." Yuki said as he left the room obviously infuriated. Tohru was silent. She only picked up her school bag and left right behind him. Kyou did the same leaving Shigure alone. A little while later Keiko wondered back into the room to find Shigure seated at an empty table.

          "Shiguresan?" Keiko uttered noticing a contemplative and troubled look that Shigure never wore on his face in front of other people.

          "Oh, Keikokun." Shigure said smiling.

          "What is it?" Keiko said sitting down at the table.

          "Oh…You noticed." Shigure said with a serious tone. "I should have told you sooner but the head of our family Akito wants to see you tomorrow morning."

          "What? Oh, no?! Are you in trouble because of me? How did he find out?" Keiko asked becoming panicked once again.

          "Well, if any trouble should come to us, I am not yet sure and as for how he found out I told him."

          "You… told him?"

          "Yes. At the time it seemed like the best thing to do…" Shigure said his voice trailing off as he looked over at Keiko.

          "I see." Keiko said holding her head down.

          "So, tomorrow it will be determined weather or not my memories will be erased."

          "I'm sorry." Shigure said remorsefully.

          "Don't apologize. You could get into a lot of trouble for keeping a secret like this from the head of your family. After all I wasn't even supposed to know about your family's curse and one person outside the family already knows. Two knowing about the curse would be make it even more difficult to keep a it a secret."

          "You didn't think you could keep our secret?"

          "No, that's not it. I would have kept the curse a secret even until death. It's just that imagining things from your perspective I can understand why you didn't want to keep my being here a secret any longer and, if it is decided, why my memories would need to be erased." Keiko said with difficulty as she clutched her stomach. Taking a deep breath she tried to ignore the sharp pain she felt. "It's ok, so I'll be going now." Keiko said standing up, but became very dizzy and fell backwards. Shigure was able to stand up and caught her, without making any movement that could be considered a hug,

          "You have a very bad fever." Shigure said putting his hand to her forehead after carefully laying her down on the floor.

          "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." Keiko apologized weakly. "All I can do is be a burden."

          "Don't say that." Shigure said softly.

          "Why not? It's true isn't it? If my memories get erased it won't really matter. Life will go on, besides it was an accident that Tohru ran into me that night anyway. Things will just go on as they would have."

          "Keikokun, we want you here with us. Don't ever say or think you are a burden to anyone here again. You've been a great help in the short time were here."

          "How?" Keiko asked turning on her side feeling her already cramped stomach contract painfully again.

          "You've given us more faith in the people around us."

          "Is that really a good thing?" Keiko asked. Shigure gave a slight gasp. He didn't expect such a pessimistic remark from a seemingly usually cheerful person. "Say more people find out about your curse. Say the majority of them are trustworthy and truly would protect your secret with their lives, but even so… All it takes is one liar, one deceitful person to be trusted who would exploit your family for their own purposes. Did Hondasan ever tell you? My father was a lawyer and my mother was a model. Before they became so successful in their careers both sides of my family disowned them. The reason why was never told to me. The only people they could count on were each other. Being a lawyer my father had to deal with deceit everyday, but I guess that comes with the territory, and so did my mother. A lot of people think being a model is easy, but it isn't. It's a very shady world. I know first hand having spent so much time with my parents as I grew up." Keiko said remembering a supposed photo shot her mother was called to. It was a photo shot, but instead of being for fashion magazine it was for a hentai publishing. Keiko's mother wanted to show her daughter what she did for a living, but it turned out to be a mistake to take her daughter to work with her that day. Right after Mrs. Yamada opened the door to the area the photo shot was to take place in, the last thing Keiko remembered was her mother's hands being put over her eyes. Later her mother explained the best she could about why they had to leave, but it wasn't until a few years later that Keiko fully understood what had occurred that day. Many people in her mother's career had become famous by first taking on shady jobs such as possing for perverted magazines, but Keiko's mother refused to take on such jobs and became extremely successful without lowering her standards.

Keiko's father witnessed many shady deals between law firms and criminals, which was the reason he became a lawyer to help in some small way to bring such characters to justice. "At a very early age, I learned that looks can be deceiving and even those that seemed trust worthy can turn on you in a heartbeat. Keiko continued starting to cry. "I want to be the kind of person that helps others, but I think my presence here has done just the opposite. No one said much to me regarding Akitosan except to say that he is the head of the Sohma clan, but… but…" Quiet sobbing swallowed Keiko's words. _"I can tell from the look in your eyes, no matter how straight of a face you try to put on, that everyone is afraid of him." _Keiko thought as she lay clutching her stomach.

          "Does it hurt more, Keikokun?" Shigure asked becoming worried. "Just stay calm I'll call a doctor." He said leaving her side to phone Hatori. As he dialed the number he felt a chill go down his spine as he remembered the word's Keiko spoke. _"All it takes is one liar, one deceitful person to be trusted."_ They were too close to the words someone else had uttered. Yes, the world was full of deceitful people but it was also full of good people. Shigure wouldn't allow himself to believe that those good people were not as abundant as the bad ones. "Que sera sera." Shigure uttered in a low voice to calm himself as he listened to the phone ring.

          "Hello?" Hatori's voice said sternly.

          "Ah, Haasan, there is a bit of a problem…" Shigure started. Hatori didn't bother to ask what that problem might be. He knew from unusual tone in Shigure's voice that it was bad.

          "I'm on my way." Hatori said hanging up the phone.

          Keiko lay on the floor of Shigure's house in a deep sleep. The pain in her stomach had become to much for her to bare counciously. Feeling a hand firmly resting on her arm Keiko stirred and opened her eyes.

          "Don't move." She heard a voice say. Blinking Keiko looked up at the blurry figure leaning over her. She didn't even notice there was a needle in her side. "How are you feeling?" Hatori asked removing the needle.

          Keiko sat up and looked at him with blurred vision. In her pain induced haze the image of the man before her conformed to that of her father.

          _"Papa, is it really you? Where's mama? Oh, papa!" _Keiko thought as she reached out and hugged Hatori. The dragon gasped. He reached to pull her away but it was too late. Hearing the usual _Bomf _sound that accompanied the transformation of a Sohma into one of the zodiac Shigure ran into the room.

          "Ha… ha ha… AHAHAHAHAHA!" Shigure exploded into nervous laughter so loud the sound of his voice snapped Keiko out of her daze.

          "What's so funny?" She asked the notice the seahorse twitching angrily in her lap. "Where did… Oh no!" She exclaimed standing to her feet and running out of the room nearly knocking Shigure over.

          Trying as best he could to restrain himself from laughing any more Shigure followed Keiko to the bathroom. She was panting heavily as she leaned on the edge of a tub. "How did a seahorse end up in my lap?" She asked out loud.

          "He's actually supposed to be a dragon." Shigure said snickering.

          Keiko jumped she had no idea that the novelist was standing behind her until he spoke.

          "A dragon?" Keiko said looking down a creature that was no bigger than the palm of her hand. Presently it had an expression on it's face that was somewhere between embarrassment and indignation.

          "Pretty pathetic isn't it?" Shigure said bursting into another fit of laughter.

          "Oh, shut up!" The seahorse growled.

          "Oh, um, excuse me." Shigure said trying desperately to stop laughing. "This is Sohma Hatori. Hatori this is Yamada Keiko." Shigure said without laughing long enough to introduce them.

          "But how did he end up-

          "Transforming?" Shigure said still giggling. "Ah, well Haasan here is the doctor I said I would call. When he got here he took one look at you and said he would have to give you a shot in the abdomen to relax the cramping. I left the room only for a second and the next thing I know Haasan here was in his zodiac form." Shigure said thoughtfully holding his chin. "Haasan, care to enlighten us as to why you felt it necessary to hug keikokun?" 

          Hatori was so furious he couldn't say a word.

          "I know I've always told you that you needed to improve your bedside manner, but don't you think that was taking it a little to far?" Shigure said mischievously.

          "Why you…" Hatori uttered becoming violently angry with Shigure for making such accusations. Perhaps the dragon would have done something to shut his cousin up but at the moment he couldn't do much of anything except be angry as he floated in the tub. Then suddenly _Boomf! _Hatori had changed back to human form and Keiko fainted.

          "Yare yare, Haasan, look what you did." Shigure said in a mocking tone.

          "Shut up and pass me a towel." Shigure said fuming.

          Moments later the two men moved Keiko into bed.

          "I'm going to go make some tea." Shigure said turning to leave the room. "Don't do anything I wouldn't." He mockingly cautioned.

          "Don't you mean don't do anything you would?" Hatori retorted.

          "Ah, Haasan, that hurt." Shigure said putting his hand to his heart and pretending to falter.

          "Just go make the tea." Hatori said irritated.

          "Right away." Shigure said scampering off.

          It was a little while later before Keiko woke up again. Sitting up in the bed she jumped when she saw Hatori sitting across the room. "Are you fully awake?" He asked walking over to her.

          "Yeah." Keiko answered. "And I'm sorry about earlier." Keiko said sweat dropping as she bowed in her seat. "I was dreaming you were someone else." Keiko admitted.

          "It's quit alright." Hatori said as he lifted her head and stuck a thermometer in her mouth.

          "After all what man in his right mind would mind being hugged by a beautiful young woman such as yourself, even if it does turn him into a seahorse." Shigure said as brought in tray with three cups of hot tea on it.

          "Do you ever stop?" Hatori asked taking note of Keiko's temperature. "Your temperature is down a few degrees from earlier." Hatori told her as he passed her a cup of tea. "How do you feel?"

          "Much better, thank you." Keiko said taking a drink from the cup. "I'm so sorry for causing such trouble."

          "Oh, don't worry about bothering Haasan, that's what I'm here for." Shigure said.

          "Indeed." Hatori agreed picking up his bag and getting ready to leave.

          "Wait! Keiko said hopping out of the bed. "How much do I owe you?" Keiko asked.

          "The only thing you should be worrying about is getting some rest, a particularly irritating person has already taking care of it."

          "Oh, thank you very much." Keiko said bowing."

          "Don't mention it." Shigure said ushering her back over to the bed. "Just get better."

          By the time Kyou, Tohru and Yuki were back from school Keiko was up and about doing all the house work in her pajamas.

          "Ah, Keikokun!" Tohru exclaimed.

          "Welcome back everyone!" Keiko greeted as she beat the dust out of the floor rug.

          "Shouldn't you be in bed?" Yuki questioned.

          "I was for a little while earlier." Keiko said. "But after a short nap I couldn't sit still…" Keiko's voice trailed off; embarrassed to still be in her pajamas in the middle of the day "Excuse me." Keiko said running upstairs. When she returned Yuki and Tohru had gone off to the secret base and Kyou was outside practicing his punching.

          "Kyouchan, wanna hit a baseball around when your done?" Keiko asked. She had dressed in sweat pants and a tank top and was carrying a baseball bat and ball. She was going to find a batting cage. When she saw Kyou she decided it would be better to invite him to play.

          "Un, we can go a couple of rounds." Kyou said.

          "Go a couple of rounds? You want to spare with me?" Keiko asked misunderstanding Kyou's statement.

          "What? Hell no. I'm not sparing with a girl."

          "Ah, afraid I'll kick your ass?" Keiko taunted.

          "No, and that's not what I meant. I meant I'd play baseball with you."

          "Let's spare first." Keiko said dropping the bat and ball.

          "What are you doing? No." Kyou said backing away as Keiko came closer.

          "Come on Kyouchan, I'm just a girl after all you could probably beat me easily."

          "That's exactly why I'm not sparing with you. You'll get hurt to easily, so forget it."

          Keiko smiled "Trust me, I'm not the one you should be worried about getting hurt." Keiko said swiftly moving and kicking Kyou behind the knees causing him to falter so badly he fell over.

          "Fine, I'll spare with you, but don't start crying when I beat you." Kyou said smiling.

          "That's my line." Keiko said taking a fighting stance. "Let's go!" She said lunging forward.

          "HIYAAA!"

          "KYAAA!"

          "What's all the racket?" Shigure asked coming outside to see Keiko and Kyou going at it. "Kyoukun, you should be ashamed; picking on poor Keikokun."

          "What?!" Kyou yelled destracted from the fight long enough for Keiko to kick him and send him sliding on his back side. "Damnit, we're suppose to be sparing that hurt!" Kyou yelled turning his attention back to Keiko.

          "Sorry, I was holding back you know. Guess I don't know my own strength." Keiko apologized smiling.

          "You were what?" Kyou said jumping to his feet. He was about to start yelling some more when Shigure's giggling interrupted. "What are laughing at? It's your fault I lost!"

          "I'm sorry." Shigure said coving his face went back into the house still giggling.

          "Damn dog." Kyou muttered. "Hey, let's play ball already. Kyou said looking over at Keiko.

          "Ok, you pitch." Keiko said tossing Kyou the ball.

          "Alright! Get ready. I'm not going to go easy on you either." Kyou said winding back.

          "Really? That's a surprising change from just a few minutes ago." Keiko said holding the bat.

          "Shut up and just hit the ball… that is if you can." Kyou said then threw the ball as heard as he could. Just at the right moment Keiko hit it sending the ball flying over the trees. Kyou looked off into the distance where the ball had gone surprised.

          "Oops, guess we better go find it." Keiko said

          "Looks, like it went over there." Kyou said pointing. "Come on!" He said running off.

          "Another challenge? A race it is!" Keiko said taking off after him. "If I find the ball first you'll have to cook dinner for a month!" Keiko said passing him.

          "What? W-wait a minute!" Kyou yelled catching up. "If I find it-."

          "You get challenge me to a rematch." Keiko interrupted and speed off.  

          Nearly an hour later Kyou and Keiko were out of breath and no closer to find the lost ball then when they started.

          "I give up." Kyou said out of breath.

          "Me too." Keiko said panting.

          "You know… for a girl… you play awefully rough." Kyou commented in between breaths.

          "Hehe, you're one to talk. You throw the ball so hard I'm surprised the bat didn't break when I hit it." Keiko said laughing, but from lack of breath it sounded more like wheezing and hacking.

          "Keikochan?" Yuki said when he saw them on the small cliff just abve his tiny garden.

          "Hey, what are you guys doing way out?" Keiko asked regaining her composure.

          "…Just some gardening." Yuki said looking at the ground.

          "Oh, I just remembered I needed to go shopping today. Kyoukun, will you come with me?" Tohru asked.

          "Sure."

          "I'll come too." Yuki said standing up.

          "No, it's okay, you have to take care of the base." Tohru said grabbing Kyou's hand. "See you later." Tohru said running off and dragging Kyou.

          "I'm sorry for seeming so bossy just now, but I thought it would be good to give them some time alone." Tohru said apologizing once they were out of hear shot.

          "It's okay. You can stand to be a bit bossy sometimes, besides I was thinking the same thing."

          Back at the base Yuki and Keiko were having a awkward moment. They both had something to say but neither had said a word.

          "Are you still mad about the other day?" Yuki finally asked.

          "No, and about that; I'm sorry." Keiko said bowing. "If I hadn't started that food fight neither of us would had to stay after school to clean up the mess."

          "No, it's okay, I was being a jerk." Yuki said they silence fell again.

          "Yuki, I… I want you to tell me more about Akito." Keiko blurted out. Yuki looked up with wide eyes. Why on earth would anyone want to know more about Akito? Seeing the expression on Yuki's face Keiko turned away. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked."

          "Keikochan… I want to tell more, but it's too difficult. I wouldn't know where to start or how to explain." Yuki said his voice wavering.

          "That bad huh?" Keiko said sympathiticlly. Yuki exhailed and closed his eyes to keep the tears from falling, but they came anyway. Yuki fell to his knees sobbing silently. Keiko turned around not knowing what to say. She wanted to give him a hug, but knew doing some just might make things worse. Kneeling down beside him Keiko gentally put her hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry." Keiko said again as she started to cry too.

          "It's not your fault." Yuki said quietly as he held her other hand to face. "I try so hard not to show my pain, my weakness and all it does is build up inside. When I'm alone it hurts; being left alone with my thoughts and memories of when I was in the main house with Akito. When I feel burdened by those memories I come here to forget, but lately doing so doesn't seem to work any longer. I don't think I'll ever be able to forget what he did to me."

          Keiko said nothing. She could feel her insides twisting. Yuki would probably be able to at ease this very moment if she wasn't around. "What have I done?" Keiko said out loud.

          "You haven't done anything." Yuki said wrapping his arms around her and transforming. "I don't know why, but I feel like I can be myself around you." He said; his small body hugging her hand. "I can laugh and you'll laugh with me, I can cry and you'll cry with me, even when end up arguing; it's strange but I'm happy. If you have done anything you have truly been my friend, thank you."

          Keiko smiled. Though anxiety over causing the Sohmas trouble was still eating at her mind for that moment it seemed to melt away. "Yuki, I'm glad we're friends too." Keiko said holding Yuki in the palm of her hands.

          That evening, just before going to bed, Keiko was practicing a formal bow and greeting while Tohru brushed her hair.

          "Keikokun, you seem nervous." Tohru said observing her roommate's behavior.

          "You're right, I am." Keiko said sitting up straight. "I'm meeting the head of the Sohma clan tomorrow. I know how to get along in regular conversation, but I've never been in such a formal situation before. What if I offend him or something?"

          Tohru looked out the window as she searched for the right words to say. "Just be yourself." Tohru said quietly. "Just be yourself and I'm sure everything will be fine." Tohru said with a little more conviction. _"I hope." _She thought remembering her last meeting with Akito. He had become pretty violent with her and even ordered Hatori to erase her memory in his rage, but somehow Tohru's kind words were able to pierce through the darkness within Akito and she was able to continue on living with Shigure and the others.

          Keiko put her hand to her chest and breathed deeply. "You're right Tohru. I worry too much."

          "You're welcome." Tohru said smiling at finally being called by her name.

          The next day everyone dressed in their best clothes, except for Kyou who wore a blue short sleeved shirt and cargo pants, and set out for the main house. Keiko felt a little out of place having gone through the trouble of putting on a kimono while everyone else was dressed in western style clothes. Kyou waited at the main gate since the cat wasn't allowed inside the main house. He didn't have to come, but Keiko had grown on him and he wanted to be there for her. When the rest of the group got to the main house Hatori met them at the entrance.

          "I'll be taking her to meet Akito." He said to Shigure whose eyes widened in horror.

          "It's already been decided?" Shigure asked.

          "All I know is what he requested of me. Akito wants you to wait outside, that he made very clear. Keiko." Hatori said hinting that he wanted her to follow him. Keiko nodded stepping forward but stopped when she felt someone grab her hand. Turning around she could see Yuki looking at her with pleading eyes that said "don't go". Though they had known each other for long Yuki felt very close and grateful to Keiko. She and saved his life and constantly kept watch over him. In that since she seemed to behave like an older sister even though she was actually a year younger than him. Because of this unique bond Yuki didn't want her to loose her memories.

          Keiko made no effort to speak. What could she say that would make him feel better? Giving a small smile she pulled her hand away and followed Hatori into the halls of the main house.

          "Huh?" Kyou uttered seeing the group minus Keiko approaching the gate. "What are you all doing out here?" He asked with a very bad feeling in the pit of his stomach.

          "Akito didn't want us coming in." Tohru answered.

          "How come?" Kyou asked insisting on a much more detailed answer.

          "We don't know. That's all we were told when Hatori met us at the door." Shigure said looking back at the large house.

          "Hatori?!" Kyou exclaimed. "How could you leave her alone with those two? I don't give a damn what Akito does I'm going in there!" Kyou said starting to march off when Shigure grabbed him back.

          "Hold on, don't go stirring up trouble. We don't even know what he plans to do." Shigure said dragging Kyou back to his previous position in front of him.

          "So, you're just going to wait to see if he erases her memory?" Kyou asked then looked over at Yuki. "And what about you, damn rat? How can you just stand there? Isn't she your friend?"

          "From how you're acting stupid cat I'd think she was you friend as well, but you and I both know that none of us can truly stand up to Akito." Yuki replied looking over at the house as well. "All we can do is wait." He said clinching his fists.

          'This is the room Akito is in." Hatori said as he and Keiko stopped in front of an oak sliding door after walking down a long hallway. Keiko looked at the door nervously. A small popping sound distracted Keiko from her worrying as her hair, that had been neatly pulled up behind fell down.

          _"Oh, no the band broke." _Keiko thought pulling the loose pieces of elastic from her hair and desperately trying to fix it.

          "Don't fidget so much." Hatori sternly said as he helped her fix her hair. "You look fine, don't worry about it and try to calm down."

          _"That's easy for you to say." _Keiko thought.

          "Listen, I seriously doubt he will order your memories to be erased." Hatori said as if he could hear what she was thinking. _"I don't know if I should be worried or relieved about his behavior of late, but if it spares this girl then I suppose I am unnecessarily worrying."_ Hatori thought to himself as he opened the door.

          Behind the door was a wide room floored with tatami. There were a few paintings on the walls, but otherwise the room was completely bare. Keiko gulped carefully entering the room. Once Keiko was inside Hatori processed to close the door behind her.

          "Wait." Keiko said turning around just as the door shut. Ha-to-ri…san."Keiko murmured. It was too late Hatori was already on his way down the hall to wait with everyone else outside.

_"He said Akito was in here, but no one's here." _Keiko thought looking around the empty space when her eyes settled on the sliding door that was wide open to the outside of the house. That's when she noticed a shadow coming toward the entrance that looked like it belonged to a human. Quickly Keiko dropped to the floor and bowed her head.

          "I'm very pleased to meet you." Keiko said keeping her eyes on the floor as the footsteps approached her. A pair of bare feet stopped in front of her and silence followed. _"Oh, no. Was I supposed to speak first? Was that rude of me? What if I offended him already? He's not saying anything." _Keiko thought has her heart started pounding. Feeling a hand gently come to rest on her head Keiko fought the urge to recoil as it moved down to her face in a caressing motion and lifted her chin up.

          "So, Yamada Keiko is your name." Akito said looking her in the eyes. "We didn't get a chance to properly introduce ourselves in the park the other day. I'm very pleased to meet you as well Yamada Keikosan. I am leader of the Sohma clan, Sohma Akito." Keiko's heat nearly jumped out of her chest. She could not believe the she had come face to face with the man she had embarrassed herself in front of at the park, nor that he was the head of the Sohma family. Lastly Keiko was excepting to meet an elderly man and Akito was far from that image. Just looking at him Akito seemed to be no more than a few years older than she was.

To Be Continued

A/N: Ok, Akito is being his usual creepy self. But forget about him. I managed to get a whole lot more Hatori action in on this chapter only because I feel the story line called for it (yay). Next chapter I don't think I'll be so lucky.

I could make it so he ends up transforming a lot, but that could cause him to have a heart attack and die of embarrassment. Anyone who's been royally embarrassed before can imagine what that might be like. **Anywayz**, still looking on ways to get some Kagura action in. I've thought of a few ways but I'm not sure they'll work in on the story line and just might end up as omakes…

Bootleg Omake Theater #2 (This has nothing to do with the main storyline.) If He Could Kiss Himself He Would

          It was a sunny Sunday afternoon. The occupants of Shigure's house decided to have a picnic out in the yard. Tohru and Keiko made the sandwiches to prevent them from having any weird ingredients like fermented radishes, Shigure's favorite, or somehow end up being burnt, which was Yuki's specialty. Shigure made sure to pack the cooler with drinks and made sure he had something to drink before they ventured out into his ridiculously huge yard that could have easily doubled as a nature preserve.

          It was only 10 am, but Yuki was still half asleep and Shigure was already out of his mind drunk and was hiding it the best he could.  Seeing he how he was having trouble walking and talking at the same time he had Kyou and Yuki carry the cooler, which was four feet long and filled to the brim with ice and drinks, however; Shigure's choice of cooler bearers was turning out to be a bit of a mistake.

          "Where are you going, you damn rat? Everyone is headed that way. Kyou said pulling the end of the cooler he was holding in the opposite direction Yuki was going. To tired to know left from right Yuki followed Kyou's lead. He knew before hand that they would have the picnic in the morning to avoid the heat later in the day, but he was unable to get to sleep the previous night.

          "Damnit, wake the hell up already and walk straight!" Kyou yelled.

          "Kyoukun, please don't yell." Shigure asked with a goofy looking smile on his face as he fanned himself with the folding fan he carried during the summer. Though Yuki waking up and slamming Kyou into the nearest tree was a concern Shigure was more concerned about the alcohol induced headache that was coming on that only seemed to escalade with Kyou's voice. No sooner did he ask Kyou to quiet down did Shigure walk straight into a tree. Realizing his blunder Shigure sweat dropped. _"Maybe they haven't noticed I'm drunk yet." _He thought.

          "And what the hell is wrong with you?" Kyou yelled. "Don't tell me you're asleep too."

          "No, I think it was the wine he had earlier." Keiko murmured.

          "Shiguresan is drunk?" Tohru asked surprised.

          "That's right." Keiko confirmed. "He does that every so often and then tries to pretend nothing is wrong with him. I'm surprised you haven't noticed seeing how every so often if more like every other day."

          "Did you really have to point that out, Keikokun?" Shigure asked embarrassed.

          "It's your own damn fault." Kyou said as continued to tug the over sized cooler in the right direction.

          Finally, they made their way to the open field and begin to set up. Keiko laid out a blanket for Yuki to rest on while Tohru and Kyou unpacked the picinic basket. Shigure made himself busy putting together a make shift icepack for his head.

          "Yuki you can rest here for a while." Keiko said. "Yuki?" She said again looking around. _"Where did he go?"_ She thought and gasped when she saw him about to walk right into the stream. Keiko ran and was able to pull him back before his foot went off the small ledge above the water. "You are a handful when you're asleep." She said guiding him back to the group.

          "Is Yukikun alright?" Tohru asked as she saw the pair walking back over to the blanket.

          "Yeah, he's still sleep." Keiko answered pulling him back over to her side as he started to wonder off again. "Hondasan, could you help me get him over to the blanket?" Keiko asked as Yuki seemed to forget about walking and his legs gave away leaving Keiko struggling to hold him up without making any motion that would be considered a hug.

          "Oh, right!" Tohru said rushing over to them and holding Yuki's other side. Kyou watched as they carefully laid him down on the blanket and fumed. _"Why is he getting so much attention?" _He thought then looked away.

          "Isn't the weather great?" Tohru asked. Before Keiko could answer Yuki muttered something in his sleep. Keiko narrowed her eyes having completely heard the utterance. Tohru looked down at her napping companion curious as to what he could have said.

          "What's going on?" Kyou asked having left Shigure passed out on the ground with an icepack to his head.

          "Yukikun is talking in his sleep." Tohru informed.

          "Really? What he say?" Kyou asked ready to punch him straight in his face if the rat was bad mouthing him unconsciously.

          "I don't know." Tohru answered.

          "Looks like he's going say it again." Keiko said. Everyone listened careful as Yuki's sleep filled voice chanted.

_"I'm so pretty,_

_I'm so pretty, _

_I'm so pretty,_

_I can't sleep at night."_

          "Well that explains a lot." Tohru said out loud.

          "It sure does." Keiko agreed.

          "It'd figure that damn rat would say something so vein." Kyou said slightly fuming as his face twitched.

A/N: Yeah, I know that was kinda long and didn't make sense but it wasn't suppose to! Thanks for reading.


	7. Welcome To The Family Part A

Eye of the Storm 

Chapter 7

Welcome To The Family; Part A 

            Akito smiled softly as he looked into Keiko's eyes. Keiko was still as stone and seemed unmovable but Akito could sense it, like a bloodhound hot on the trail of its prey, he could sense the anxiety growing inside her. "It's such a nice day out. Let's go outside and talk shall we?" Akito said stepping back and holding his hand out to Keiko who nodded and took it. Her body seemed a thousand times heavier than it actually was as she stood and as she walked over to the open doors her feet felt like lead. Once outside Keiko stood silently beside him. Five minutes went by, then ten and Akito had not said a word causing Keiko to become even tenser.

            "You may continue living amongst us…" Akito said finally breaking the silence. Keiko inaudibly exhaled with relief. "…but…" Akito continued. "…you will have to live as a Sohma as well. Do you understand?"

            "Yes, if there are any customs or rules I should follow I will be sure to do so." Keiko said with her head bowed.

            Akito smiled to himself. There really wasn't that much to following the family rules or customs. His word was law in the house of Sohma; do as Akito says or you will regret it. Though this was the general rule no one outside the inner gate knew anything of it. If ever they happen to run into Akito, which was usually at New Year's, he always gave the appearance of a pleasant young man, but people inside the gate, especially those of the zodiac, knew better. Akito could be charming to the point of enchantment when he wanted to be; otherwise Akito was as cold and unrelenting as the deep freeze of the artic. "The new year will be here soon." Akito said looking off into the distance. "It's time some things change around here, the air has become somewhat stale, so in spite of keeping with the old tale I planned on allowing the cat to attend the banquette."

            Keiko blinked. "Banquette? Keiko repeated.

            "Yes, the banquette we hold every year for the juunishi. It's in keeping with the old tale; God gave a banquette and invited thirteen animals. Depending on when the guests arrived each animal would be given a year. The rat wanted to beat the cat in order to have the first year named after him, so he told the cat that the banquette was actually the night after God said it would be. Foolishly the cat believed the rat and while the other twelve animals were at the banquette the cat was at home in bed. The cat truly was a fool for believing the rat and so there was no year given to him, but God has mercy of babes and fools." Akito said smiling. "You and Tohrusan may come as well, if you like." Akito said carefully watching Keiko.

"Thank you very much." Keiko said giving a low bow.

"Please, don't be so formal." Akito laughed. "I plan to get to know you a bit better than this Yamada Keikosan." Akito said as he lowered himself to meet Keiko's eyes. "Everyone must be worried by now, you should really be getting back to them. I'll come with you. I want to personally invite Kyou and Tohrusan to the upcoming New Year celebration."

            Keiko nodded nervously. Somehow Akito's words made her shiver. _"I am afraid of him?" _Keiko asked herself as a creepy feeling settled in her heart. _"No, that's ridiculous. He hasn't done anything for me to feel this way… but the others they are afraid. Akito does seem strange, but I am sure for the cursed of the Sohma clan it takes more than being strange to scare them so terribly or cause them to feel so helpless against this one man. No, there is more to it than that." _Keiko thought as she silently followed Akito out of the house.

            Outside Kyou paced impatiently. It had been fifteen minutes since Keiko had entered the halls of the main house. Everyone was a little on edge, even Hatori though he showed no sign of it. If left alone Akito could do a lot in just five minutes to utterly ruin a person's mind. Shigure knew this, but insisted everything was just fine.

            "Will you stop that, it's beginning to annoy me." Yuki snapped at Kyou.

            "Shut up you dirty rat!" Kyou yelled. "How can you just stand there?"

            "Stop arguing. Akito said to wait out here. I'm sure Keiko will be just fine as long as no one goes barging in." Hatori said obviously irritated.

            "That's a real relief coming from you." Kyou said.

            "Tohru!" Momiji's voice shouted as he ran over to meet the group. "Hi, what are you doing here?"

            "We came with Keikokun, but…" Tohru started.

            "Akito just wanted to meet Keiko is all." Shigure jumped in.

            "Really alone?" Momiji asked looking over at the house. Hatsuharu was with him and for a second it seemed as if he would say something then decided not to.

            "Hey, what's that look for?" Kyou questioned Momiji. "Nothing!" Momiji sang. Akito had told Momiji that he had already meet Keiko and found her to be very attractive. From the detailed description of Keiko Momiji gave Akito it wasn't difficult to figure out who she was when he meet her in the park some days earlier. There was nothing wrong with noticing how lovely someone is, but coming from Akito it caused a bad feeling to rise in the pit of the rabbit's stomach.   

            "Damnit all!" Kyou burst out. "I'm going in there."

            "Here they come." Shigure said snatching Kyou back by the collar.

            "Hello everyone." Akito said seemingly very pleased to see them. "Shigure, Kyou." He said looking over at the two. Shigure wore a nervous smile with his hand still holding onto Kyou who was frowning. "Yuki." Akito said smiling. "You look well. And Honda Tohrusan."

            "Good Afternoon." Tohru said nervously.

            "I'm glad you came." He said placing a hand on her shoulder.

            _"Don't touch her." _Yuki and Kyou thought angrily.

            "I'm glad you came too, Kyou." Akito said turning his attention to the cat. "As you all know the New Year is coming up and as usual we will be having the zodiac banquette. The only difference is the cat will be allowed to attend. Tohrusan and Keikosan are welcome to come as well as personal guests if they'd like. Kyou, I do hope you decide to join us." Akito said walking over to Kyou and standing in front of him. "You too Yuki, it would be a shame if the rat skipped out twice." Akito said letting his eyes settle on Yuki who seemed caught between shock and fear. A chilled breeze blew causing Akito to pull his coat closed. "It's getting chilly," he murmured.

            "You should head inside now." Hatori said.

            "You're right." Akito said acknowledging the doctor's advice. "Until next time." Akito said then returned to his house.

            As Akito left everyone was silent with surprise and shock.

            "I should be getting back to work." Hatori said not caring to comment on Akito's seemingly sudden decision to let the cat and two outsiders attend the Juunishi banquette.

            "That's all you have to say?" Kyou shouted, but Hatori ignored him and continued back to his office.

            "Let it go Kyou, I'm sure Haasan is just as shocked and surprised as the rest of us." Shigure said placing a firm and on Kyou's shoulder.

            "Damnit, stop touching me!" Kyou said removing the dog's hand.

            "Why? What's wrong with me touching you?" Shigure asked fishing for an argument.

            "It's disgusting!"

            "Disgusting how?"

            "Don't play dumb!"

            Tohru smiled and begin to ignore the argument along with everyone else.

            "You look pretty." Momiji said complimenting Keiko's orange and pink kimono.

            "Oh, Momiji, you're very sweet." Keiko said.

            "No, really I mean it. Isn't she lovely?" Momiji asked Hatsuharu who looked as if he was becoming ill. He gave a small sheepish smile and tried to walk away calmly has his stomach did flip-flops. Once he had moved a few paces from the group Hatsuharu could no longer keep it down and ran away with one hand covering his mouth and the other holding his stomach. Keiko sweat dropped.

            "Don't worry he's been sick all week and it's finally catching up with him. He's been throwing up ever since this morning. It's really grose!" Momiji said a little to happy concerning the illness the befallen his cousin.

            "Is he going to be ok?" Keiko said looking off into the distance.

            "Maybe you should visit him latter." Momiji suggested.

            "Yeah…" Keiko said turning to look over at Yuki; he was staring at the main house in as if he were in a trance.

            "Yuki…" Keiko said quietly as she walked over to him. "Are you ok?" She whispered. Yuki looked over at Keiko as if he were waking up. "I know what, let's check out the commercial district." Keiko said speaking in normal volume. "Tohrukun, would you like to come too?" Keiko asked Tohru, who was looking over at Yuki with sympathetic eyes.

            "No, I couldn't… I'd be intruding and-."

            "Intruding on what?" Keiko asked.

            "Your date…" Tohru said hesitantly.

            Yuki and Keiko sweat dropped. "Don't be silly, the more the better." Keiko said.

            "Then I want to come!" Momiji chimed in.

            "Would you like to come as well?" Keiko asked looking over at Shigure and Kyou.

            "Get off me!" Kyou yelled struggling to get free from a headlock.

            "I'd love to come but I have to finish my manuscript." Shigure said smiling has he squeezed Kyou nearly putting him to sleep, before releasing him. Kyou dropped to the ground. Keiko sweat dropped.

            "Kyouchan?" Keiko asked looking at the cat who was currently on his hands and knees panting heavily.

            "If it will get me away from this guy for a while." He said standing to his feet.

            "Well it's settled we're going to the commercial district to have perfume samples sprayed on us, food samples crammed down our throats and basically be used as guinea pigs for all types of new products. It'll be a blast!" Keiko said excitedly as she took hold of Kyou's arm then Yuki's. Then the group walked off arm in arm; Keiko and Tohru on either side of Yuki, Kyou beside Keiko and Momiji beside Tohru.

            "Come back well." Shigure murmured waving as the group walked off.

            "I said no and I meant no, so stop asking me!" Kyou yelled at the woman offering him a sample of a new nacho dip.

            "I'm sure once you've tried it you'll want to buy it." The woman said smiling completely unfazed by Kyou's loud rejection.

            "Avocado and barbeque flavored nacho dip… That sure sounds different." Tohru said holding the dip drenched nacho in front of her mouth.

            "You're not going to eat that crap are you?" Kyou asked shocked the seemingly delicate girl would dare to eat such a thing.

            "Well, my mother always told me you will never know if something is good or not unless you try it first and she always taught not to be a picky eater so…"

            "Well if you're willing to try it then I will too!" Kyou declared snacking the sample from the smiling woman. "This stuff better not make me throw up!" He said then crammed it into his mouth. Tohru eat her at the same time (except more discretely) and just about at the same time their faces turned blue.

            _"This is really disgusting." _They thought as they forcibly swallowed.

            Standing a small distance away, with Keiko and Momiji, Yuki watched with a somewhat content expression on his face.

            "Ha ha, you couldn't have paid me to eat that crap!" Momiji laughed.

            "What about you, Yuki?" Keiko asked.

            "Huh?"

            "What would it take for you to try avocado and barbeque flavored nacho dip?"

            "I don't know. What about you Keikochan?" Yuki asked seeming to have actually given it some thought.

            "What he means is he'll do anything as long as you ask him nicely." Momiji said.

            "Momiji…" Yuki said starting to fume.

            "If it isn't true then explain why you were in a dress for the school cultural festival a couple of years ago." Momiji challenged.

            "That is one of those things you nor anyone else is supposed to mention ever again."

            "Yuki was in a dress?" Keiko asked shocked.

            "That's right! You should have seen it. Me and Hatori thought that he had actually become a girl."

            "Oh my!" Keiko said. "Why would you think a thing like that?"

            "You have eyes don't you? It's not like he attract only girls."

_"Come to think of it Yuki really does have some very effeminate features. If I were in his shoes there would be no way anyone could get me to dress up like a girl. It would be too humiliating."_ Keiko thought as she imagined a horde of boys declaring their love to Yuki.

"You should have seen his costume for the year of the rat banquette!"

            "Momiji…" Yuki uttered too angry to be any more articulate, but the bunny ignored the fuming rat and continued with his story.

            "You guys dress up for New Year's?"

            "Yeah, just the person with the zodiac curse for the year. We each have to dress in a custom and perform a dance for our year."

            "That sounds great!"

            "Yeah, it kinda is. Anyway, you should have seen Yuki! Members of the Sohma clan from out of town all kept saying what a cute little girl he was!"

            "Momiji, if you say another word…" Yuki threatened finally finding his voice.

            "Uh-oh, gotta run." Momiji said darting off. "You'll come visit me and Haru at Hatori's house tonight won't you?" Momiji yelled over the noise after putting some distance between him and Yuki.

            "Sure!" Keiko yelled back.

            "Great! I'll make sure Hatori makes something nice for dinner! See you later!" Momiji said than ran off, leaving Keiko with a fuming Yuki.

            "Don't take it too hard I didn't get the wrong idea about you or anything." Keiko assured.

            "I'm glad for that, but it's still humiliating."

            "Well look on the bright side everyone at school knows you're a boy so…"

            "Is it really that difficult to tell?" Yuki asked his self esteem taking a nosedive from it's already low plateau.

            "At first." Keiko said then stopped talking when she saw the expression on Yuki's face. "…From really far away." She added hoping to cheer him up. "I mean it's easy to be mistaken about someone's appearance from a distance, right?"

            "I suppose." Yuki agreed still feeling self-conscious.

            "That's a little better I suppose, but if you get any closer to the ground I'll have to carry you." Keiko said noticing the Yuki was still feeling down.

            "How would you manage that?" Yuki asked giving too much thought to what Keiko had said. "It would be awkward, unless you…" Yuki said his voice trailing off.

            "What's your face all red for?" Keiko asked noticing the far away look in the rat's eyes. "Idiot." She bopping him on the head. "You're like a brother to me so it really creeps me out when you look at me like that so don't do it again." She chastised then sighed. "Then again you've been around Shigure longer than I have. It would stand to reason some of his perversion rubbed off on you." Keiko reasoned out loud.

            Yuki sweat dropped then sighed. "Maybe you're right." He muttered putting his hand to his face feeling ashamed. He really didn't have any romantic feelings toward Keiko at all but for some reason the thought of her hugging him seemed alluring.

            "GASP It's worse than I thought. The only way to cure you is to eat some greasy American food." Keiko said grabbing Yuki's hand and running off in the direction of an American style restaurant. "Hehe, I guess this is our second date." Keiko joked.

"Is it true?" Shigure asked excitedly into the phone.

            "Is what true?" Hatori's voice countered suspiciously on the other end.

            "Are you really having a date with Keikokun tonight?" Shigure asked receiving silence in return. "No way!" He gasped. "It's true!"

            "Don't get your hopes up."

            "Oh, it's too late to try and cover it up now."

            "Cover what up, you flopping jellyfish?"

            "Really Haasan she's too young for you. Keikokun is only in her second year of high school. I'm shocked," Shigure said mockingly. "And jealous." He added in a low voice.

            "Give me a break." Hatori said as he continued to stir whatever he was making. "Momiji could you get the door." He said hearing the door bell ring."

            "Ooh, is she there?" Shigure asked excitedly.

            "Yes."

            "It would have been more romantic if you had answered the door yourself, you know."

            "I'm hanging up."

            "Hatori wait. Don't-." Before Shigure could finish pleading his cousin had already hung up the phone. "Darn it, I was only joking with him."

            "Sounds like you were just being a pervert." Yuki said looking away from the TV. After their trip to the commercial district the group had come straight home. Yuki, not accustomed to eat so much deep fried food, ended up getting sick and the first place he ran to when he got home was the toilet to vomit up the double bacon cheese burger and chili fries he had eaten.

            "It's not nice to eaves drop Yukikun. Shouldn't you be resting?"

            "I'm fine." Yuki replied a bit annoyed by the dog's question. "You were sitting right by me. How could I not hear you?" Yuki said causing Shigure to sweat drop.

            "Well it's late, I think I'll turn in early."

Shigure said making an excuse to leave the room. Yuki looked over at the clock in the wall and smirked. It was only a little after five thirty. Finally after all those jabs the dog had taken at Yuki over the years he was surprised he was able to get under his skin that easy. _"That was too easy. I wasn't even trying to get at him this time. Something must be bothering him. No doubt some scheme of his has gone wrong." _Yuki thought lowering his eyes. _"Like the subtle stench of food going bad; I can sense it, he's up to something again."_

            "I'm so glad you came." Momiji said as he greeted Keiko. After visiting the commercial district she had gone back to Shigure's house to change out of the Kimono and was now wearing a blouse and knee length skirt.

            "Thanks for inviting me." Keiko said as she shuffled out of her shoes.

            "Evening." Hatori said as he came to greet Keiko. "Make yourself at home." He said not sounding particularly welcoming then returned to the kitchen.

            Keiko sweat dropped. "Hatorisan doesn't seem to be in the mood for guests maybe I should just go."

            "No, he's fine, trust me. Stay a while." Momiji said dragging her into the dinning room.

            Once again Hatori emerged from the kitchen this time with a large porcelain bowl. "It's not much but it's dinner." He said placing it in the middle of the table.

            "Thank you for this food." Everyone prayed.

            Taking the lid off of the bowl, Momiji narrowed his eyes. "You're not even trying to make a good impression Hatori. What happened to the rest of the food?

            "You want more food then you should prepare it."

            "No, it's ok I don't mind." Keiko said.

            "Okay, then." Momiji said handing her a bowl full of soup. "Haru is missing another meal. Hari must have been thinking about him the reason he made soup for dinner tonight."

            "How is he doing?" Keiko asked.

            "He's been throwing up a lot because of the stomach flu he some how contracted, so I've been making sure he gets a lot of liquids." Hatori answered.

            "Hari may seem mean but he's really nice." Momiji chimed in.

            "Well if you excuse me." Hatori said after placing a bowl of soup on a tray and standing.

            "Is that for Haru?" Momiji asked jumping in front of him.

            "Yes, it is."

            "Hatsuharu lives here too?" Keiko asked surprised.

            "Silly, don't you remember? I told you so earlier."

            "Yeah, that's right." Keiko mumbled feeling embarrassed by her laps of memory.

            "I'll take it to him." Momiji volunteered.

            "No goofing around." Hatori instructed handing the tray to the energetic bunny.

            "Is Keiko coming too?" He asked looking over at her.

            "Sure." Keiko said standing up and following Momiji out of the room. They were in front of the door to Hatsuharu's room when a light suddenly went off in Momiji's head.

            "Oh yeah! A sick person should drink lots and lots of orange juice. I'll be right back." Momiji said hastily handing Keiko the tray. "Just go right in and don't worry about waking him." Momiji said half way down the hall. "I'll be right back."

            "Okay." Keiko said feeling as if she had been left dangling on a ledge. Carefully she opened the door and stepped in.

            "Could you hurry up and close that, you're letting in a draft." Came Hatsuharu's voice from under a pile of blankets. Keiko quickly slid the door closed. The room was like a sauna. Looking around the room Keiko was surprised to find that it was messy. Clothes lay stroon all over the place, there was a pile of CDs on the floor in one corner and papers that looked like old homework assignments in another. Slowly Keiko made her way across the floor to the pile of blankets nearly tripping over a bar bell hidden under a sweatshirt and jeans.

            "Are you going to take my temperature again? I doubt if anything has changed."

            "Um…" Keiko said kneeling down beside the blanket-laden futon.

            "Sensei?" Hatsuharu said has poked his head out.

            "No…" Keiko said suddenly feeling awkward. She had often spent a lot of time with Momiji during school, but whenever she came around Hatsuharu would disappear. From how he behaved Keiko was sure he had something against her. Now she was in his house and in his room none the less. _"What was I thinking coming in here like this? I should have left. He obviously does not like me. I should have waited for Momiji to return."_ Keiko thought as her grip tightened on the tray.

            "Huh?" Hatsuharu uttered trying to focus on the figure in front of him, but his vision was blurred from the fever. "Momiji?" He said sitting up and grabbing her shoulders and leaning closer trying to recognize the face.

            "I'm back!" Momiji said entering the room with a large glass full of orange juice. A high-pitched gasp escaped his lips. He then quickly walked over and wacked Hatsuharu over the head. "Haru, shame on you sexually harassing Keikochan like that!"

            "Keikochan?" Hatsuharu repeated looking up at the second blurry figure.

            "That's right she came all the way here to see how you were doing and this how you treat her? You should be ashamed of yourself."

            "Ashamed? But, I didn't know…" He said turning his head to face her, his vision now clearing up.

            "Sorry." He said finally letting her go. "And for the record I wasn't trying to harass you. I couldn't even see your face."

            "Here." Keiko said giving him the tray.

            "Thanks…" Hatsuharu said narrowing his eyes. "Please excuse the mess."

            "No problem."

            "You can be more hospitable than that." Momiji chastised.

            "It's ok. I really should be going now." Keiko said standing and feeling more unwelcome than a cockroach. "Bye." She said exiting the room.

            "Haru…" Momiji said getting up and running after her.

            "Wait up, I'll at least walk you to the main gate." Momiji said catching up to her at the front door. By this time Hatori was locked up in his office going over some paper work.

            "You're sweet." Keiko said giving him a smile.

            "That's right! That's me!" Momiji said sang.

            "Listen, I'm sorry if Haru did anything to offend you. He's usually not like that." Momiji apologized on his cousin's behalf as they walled to the gate.

            "You don't have to apologize. I know you want me to be friends with him, but I don't think Hatsuharu like me very much."

            "No, it's not like that-."

            "Like I said, you don't have to apologize. Just because Hatsuharu doesn't like me it doesn't mean we can't still be friends right?"

            "Right!" Momiji agreed. [You're the best!] Momiji said kissing Keiko on the cheek. […so it's okay you don't have a clue. It'll just make things funnier in the end.]

            "Keiko looked at the rabbit blankly. She did not understand a word he said.

            "See you at school!" Momiji said as he trotted off waving."

            "Bye-bye." Keiko said. Then turned to head back to Shigure's house when an uneasy feeling as if someone was watching her came over her. Looking around Keiko thought she saw someone by a tree, but when she looked again she didn't see a thing.

            "I was thinking-." Momiji started after suddenly returning and surprising Keiko. The look on her face was priceless and he couldn't help but laugh. "Sorry about scarying you like that, but it was so funny!" The bunny said continuing to laugh. "Anyway." He said getting a hold of himself. "I was thinking about what you said and I would really like it if Keikochan stayed a little longer."

            "Well…"

            "Please!" Momiji begged making Keiko feel uncomfortable so she quickly agreed to stay.

            "Keikochan will stay? Yippie!" Momiji said sounding like a small child. "I just got a new video game. Let's go play it." He said grabbing her wrist and dragging her back to Hatori's house. After a quick tutorial from Momiji on how to play the game he started a two player session and they spent the rest of the night battling against each other for the highest score.

            "Ugh! I lost again?" Keiko said in disbelief.

            "Yup, you totally suck!" Momiji laughed.

            "Hey, I was this close to beating you." She said holding her index finger a millimeter away from her thumb.

            "Maybe you would have a chance against Haru he sucks a video games too. Would Haru like to play?" Momiji asked just as the ox tried to slip by on his way back to his room with the milk carton.

            "Hm? Keikosan, is still here?" Hatori asked as he came into the living room, just completing his paper work.

            Keiko gasped looking down at her wristwatch, noticing it was almost eleven o'clock. "Looks like I over stayed my welcome." Thank so much for having me." Keiko said as she stood up and gave a small bow.

            "Don't be silly." Momiji said still sitting. "Besides it's too late to let you go back by yourself. Why don't you spend the night? Will Hari let Keikochan stay?" He asked not allowing Keiko the opportunity to respond.

            "Well it late and I'm too tired to drive…"

            "Yay, yay, yay!" Momiji cheered jumping around.

            "Momiji, please it's late." Hatori said sleepily. "I'll drive you home tomorrow after breakfast." Hatori said directing his attention back to Keiko.

            "Great!" Momiji said taking both of Keiko's hands. You can sleep in my room, with me!" As soon as the words came out of the rabbit's mouth Hatsuharu nearly chocked on the milk he had started drinking.

            "Momiji…" Hatori said but before he could start in good on scolding the rambucious bunny Hatsuharu had walked over and shooved the near empty milk carton into his hands and was making his way over to Momiji. _"It's too late at night for this." _The dragon thought wearily.

            "You little pervert!" Hatsuharu said grabbing the bunny up by the collar of his shirt with both hand and shaking him. "And you had the nerve to accuse me of being some type of molester?!"

            "Wah! Haru's hurting me!" Momiji wailed.

            "Whine and cry all you want that not going to save you."

            "Haru, that's enough." Hatori said firmly.

            "It's enough when I say it's enough!" Hatsuharu yelled. "You brought this on yourself!" Hatsuharu said.

            What Keiko witnessed next blew her mind. Hatsuharu had kissed Momiji dead on the the lips then dropped him on the floor.

            For a second the room was dead silent. Momiji had even stopped wailing for a second… then it came.

            WAAAAH! HARU YOU PERVERT! WAAAH! WAAAH! WAAAH!" Momiji wailed seeming to get louder as he continued to cry. Hatsuharu still in black mode just smirked.

            "You know you're still contajous." Hatori said over Momiji's wailing.

            "That was the point." Hatsuharu said still smirking then went back to his room.

            "Yes, I forgot who I was talking to for a second." Hatori sighed as he plugged a finger into his ear. "You'd probably be better off sleeping in my room." Hatori said to a still utterly shocked Keiko.

            "What?" Momiji said taking a short break from his wailing. "Hatori's a big perv too! I'm surrounded by perverts!" He declaired and continued wailing.

            "Ugh! Shut up already!" Hatori ordered.

            "Now he's yelling at me! Wah!"

            "Hatsuharu just gave you his stomach flu so you need to have a shot. I get sloppy when I can't concentrate." Hatori said. Momiji immediately stopped crying has he recalled the story Shigure told concerning Hatori's cruelty and needles. "That's better." He said taking his fingers out of his ears. "Momiji will be happy to lend you a pair of his pajamas."

            "Yeah!" Momiji answered running off to get some for her.

            "What about you?" Keiko asked shakily. "I don't want to make you go through too much trouble. I'll be fine sleeping out here on the floor."

            "Don't be ridiculous." Hatori said sternly. "I'll just sleep in my office and besides these two cause me more trouble in one day than I you could in a life time I believe so make yourself comfortable so you can sleep well."

            "Here you are." Momiji said handing Keiko a pair of his pajamas.

            "Thank you." Keiko said finally recoving form her late night jolt.

            "Time for your shot now." Hatori said taking Momiji by the arm and dragging him away.

            "Hari won't make it hurt will he?" Momiji asked nervously. "That depends on if you start crying like a baby again." Hatori said even though he had no intention of hurting him.

            "Your cruel Hari."

            "Is that so?"

            "Eep, I'll shut now."

            "Relax. I'm not going to do anything."

            "Yay, I knew you were faking it!"

_"No, that special treatment is reserved for a special patient." _Hatori thought smiling to himself. _"I should call Shigure to let him know Keiko will be staying the night, but no doubt he may have went to sleep already, good." _Hatori thought as he making a mental note to call the novelist after giving Momiji a shot in the hopes to jolt him out of his sleep.

A/N: Well that's it for chapter seven. Man, I'm taking longer than I thought I would have getting around to Ayame, but don't worry he and Kagura will be popping up soon! One thing no one should get their hopes up for is a Momiji x Haru in this fic or any others. Black Haru was just on the rampage as usual and there was nothing erotic behind his actions in this chapter. He just wanted to get back at the bunny for calling him a sukibe, which in his eyes seemed utterly hypocritical after the bunny had the nerve to invite Keiko to spend the night in his room… Okay, no Momoji x Keiko. Though I won't promise he will not say anymore risqué things. This is Momiji we're talking about; the ultimate crybaby/ under cover perv. Well that's just my opinion of him.


	8. Hotblooded Man Ayame Takes Center Stage

Eye Of The Storm

Chapter 8

Hot-blooded Man Ayame Takes Center Stage-

          Sunday morning Hatsuharu woke up feeling wore out. He would have not bothered removing the blankets he had piled on himself if it were not for the sudden pressure of extra weight he felt on top of him.  After rubbing his eyes he found himself staring into another set of brownish red eyes.

          "There you are!" Momiji cheered.

          "Get off." Hatsuharu said closing his eyes and turning on his side causing the bunny to nearly fall on his butt.

          "Awe, come on Haru! Wake up already." He whined.

          "Because of you I am awake." Hatsuharu said calmly.

          "Well, then at least get out of the bed; we have a guest you know."

          "She's still here?" Hatsuharu said opening his eyes.

          "Yup! She's down stairs sleeping in Hari's room."

          "Sensei said he would be taking her home this morning. Why isn't she up yet?"

          "Well for one Hari isn't up yet."

"He's usually up at six thirty on the weekend…" Hatsuharu said his voice trailing off when he saw what time it was. "You, irritating little midget!" He yelled popping up and throwing the blankets and Momiji off.

"Aaagh!" Momiji yelped has he hit the wall by the door. Hatsuharu did not much appreciate being waken up at 5:13 a.m. He still had the chills and was still very tired from last night (going black takes a lot out of him.).

"It's five in the morning!" Hatsuharu yelled but before he could continue on his rampage he transformed.

"Haru, you really shouldn't get so worked up, you're still sick." Momiji said half concerned.

"I'm gonna rip you to shreds!"

"But how; you're an ox now? Oxen don't have hands so how are you going to manage that?" Momiji asked mockingly.

Despite being somewhat at a disadvantage Hatsuharu started charging full speed at the bunny.

Downstairs Hatori woke up with his hand to his forehead felling a headache coming on as the sound of Momiji screaming accompanied by loud crashing filled the house. Sleeping on the futon in Hatori's room Keiko suddenly sat up as the noise jolted her out of an unpleasant dream. Not quite awake she got up and walked out of the room to see what was going on.

"Eeeek!" Momiji squealed, practically flying down the stairs. "Hide me. He said running behind Keiko. No sooner did the words part his lips a very angry Ox came clumsily down the stairs. After getting his footing Hatsuharu looked over at them, frowned then moved on.

"Haru, Momiji." Hatori said obviously up set. Seeing Hatsuharu in his zodiac form he sweat dropped.

"Sorry Hari." Momiji apologized still hiding behind Keiko.

"Using her as a shield?" Hatori said none too pleased with the boy's apparent cowardice. "Considering the fact you cross dress that really doesn't help anything. Behaving like that just makes you one step closer to being a woman."

"That's mean!" Momiji whined. "Besides as long as I'm with her I'm safe. Haru won't dare do anything no matter what I do." Momiji said causing the Ox, who was sitting in front of the TV, to turn around and give the bunny a threatening look.

"I see." Hatori said quickly observing the scene then sighed. "I'm going back to sleep for another hour and I do expect to sleep." He said closing the door to his office.

"Oh, are you still sleepy too?" Momiji said looking Keiko in the eyes. She was barely awake.

"Un." She said with a slight nod.

"Ooh! I'm sorry. I'll make you a nice breakfast so when you wake up you'll have something good to eat."

"I thought you were trying to help. All you're going to do is infect her if you keep hanging around her like that." Hatsuharu griped as he observed how close Momiji was to her face.

"No thanks to you." Momiji said sticking his tongue out at him. "I'll order delivery then and it will be on me." He said running over to the phone. "You should go back to bed and I will make sure Haru doesn't do anything to wake you up." Momiji added and Hatsuharu fumed even more. Once Keiko had left the room Hatsuharu sudden changed back into human form. Standing up he had a mischievous expression on his face. Momiji was just about to order, but hung up the phone instead when he turned around to see a very angry Black Haru standing behind him.

"Before you do anything remember Hari and Keikochan are still sleeping." Momiji said jumping back, out of out his reach.

"You're going to be sleeping too because I'm gonna murder you!" Hatsuharu said lunging at him.

Momiji quickly jumped and flipped over the Ox's head. "Well if you're going to kill me could you at least put some cloths on first? It's really tacky to run around the house like that especially with a girl here."

"Tacky? Just for that I'm gonna take my time crushing you. Come here you little brat!" Hatsuharu said charging at the wide-eyed bunny. Just as Hatsuharu was about to clobber Momiji he fell to the floor unconscious.

"Hari!" Momiji said looking at the doctor like he was some type of savior.

"Don't thank me just yet." Hatori said holding a needle filled with a mild sedative. "Starting tomorrow neither of you are allowed to leave the house for a week. When Haru wakes up he will hopefully be back to normal. Make sure you tell him the news." Hatori said putting the needle away then wrapping the unconscious boy in a blanket and carrying him back to his room.

"[Darn it!]" Momiji whined under his breath. Hearing the door to Hatori's bedroom slide open he turned around.

"Do you two always keep up so much noise in the morning?" Keiko asked.

"Well, not usually, but sometimes. It's kinda easy to piss Haru off… I mean I do a lot of things that piss him off."

"Then why do you do them?"

"Because it's fun!" Momiji said giggling. Keiko sweat dropped.

"Didn't he say he was going to murder you?"

"Oh, that he doesn't mean it. Once he turns white again we get along just fine."

"What?"

"Say, Keikochan, since we're all up let's get dressed and go for a walk. You can wear some of my cloths. Sit tight; I'll be right back. Then I'll explain it to you." He said rushing off. A couple of minutes later he returned with a pink blouse and light blue shorts. When Keiko put the outfit on she realized it was exactly the same as the one Momiji was wearing. Sighing she brushed her hair and put on the hat that went with it.

"Great!" Momiji said when Keiko came out of the bedroom. "Now we look like twins." He said smiling. "Hari won't be up for a little while longer so I'll take you out for breakfast then walk you home ok?"

"Alright." Keiko smiled.

"Oh yeah, about Haru; he kind of has a split personality." Momiji stated once they were outside.

"Huh?"

"It's true. When he was younger people used to make fun of him a lot and instead of just telling them how upset it made him he just kept his feelings bottled up inside. No matter how much pain people caused him he never said a word, then one-day all the anger and hurt he felt just came poring out like a tidal wave, like some uncontrollable force. When it was all over he went back to his normal self. You see Haru is usually a very serine and gentle person, but from time to time when things happen that really upset him he becomes the complete opposite of that. That's why people in our family call his dark side Black Haru and his normal self White Haru because his two personalities are like night and day."

"What did you do to get him so angry he would turn black?" Keiko asked.

"You weren't mad at me last night?" Momiji asked hinting to the cause of Hatsuharu's rampage.

"Oh, that? Well, I figured you didn't mean it so I let it go."

          "Yeah, that's right." Momiji smiled as he lied. "I didn't mean it."

          "Still, you shouldn't get him so worked up. What if I did something to upset you like hug you right now?" Keiko suggested.

          "That wouldn't upset me at all."

          "It wouldn't?"

          "Nope! Not one bit!"

          "You don't mind changing into a rabbit?"

          "Not if it means I get to be hugged by a beautiful girl like you." Momiji said smiling.

          Keiko sweat dropped. _"Did he really mean what he said by not meaning it?"_ She begin to wonder.

          "But, don't worry I see your point. I'll apologize to him when I return and try to behave." Momiji promised.

          "So tell me how was your date with Keikokun last night?" Shigure asked into the receiver of the phone he was holding. At that moment he just finished proof reading his manuscript a few minutes before calling Hatori. Even though Shigure had no intention to call Hatori that day he figured that his editor would be calling shortly so he decided to call his cousin in order to tie up the line.

          "When are you going to stop saying that?" Hatori asked irritated by the question.

          "Maybe never," the novelist muttered. "So, what happened?"

          "We ate dinner and went to bed." Hatori answered flatly. "Hello?" He said hearing clattering on the other end of the line. Shigure had dropped the phone.

          "You-."

          "Don't even go there." Hatori said cutting him off.

          "Go where?" Shigure asked trying to play innocent.

          "You know exactly what you were going to say. I know you Shigure; you were thinking something perverted. With that being said I'm busy and by now you should know I am not the one to entertain your sickness. Good bye."

          "Haasan, wait. Don't hang up just yet I wasn't finished talking to you." Shigure said in a childlike manner.

          "Yes, you are."

          "Haasan." Shigure said pleadingly.

          "Like I said I know you. No doubt your editor is supposed to be calling you about now. Otherwise you wouldn't have bothered calling me today. Good bye Shigure." He said and the last thing the Dog heard was a click and a dial tone.

          Shigure sat holding the phone frowning for a minute then smiled. "Oh well, I'll just have to find a more creative way of irritating Mii." He said finally putting the phone on the receiver. "Think I'll go for a walk." He said laughing to himself.

          Outside Kyou was lying on the roof reading a book when Shigure ran out of the door.

          _"What's he in a hurry over?" _Kyou wondered as he watched Shigure disappear down the path that leads to his house. Approximately fifteen minutes later Kyou could hear Momiji's voice as he and Keiko approached the house.

          "Yuki, Kyou, Tohru, Shigure!" Momiji shouted seeing no signs of life within the house.

"That's strange the door is open, but no one is home." He said coming back outside. Keiko was still standing in front of the house.

          _"He says they're all gone so why do I feel like someone other than me and Momiji is here?" _Keiko thought as she turned to go inside the house. No sooner than she did Kyou landed on the ground just a few feet in front of her. "Kyou!" Keiko shouted surprised by his sudden appearance.

          "What kind of outfit is that?" Kyou asked as he stared disapprovingly at Keiko's attire.

          "Oh, I had to barrow some of Momiji's cloths for today." Keiko answered feeling awkward.

          "That outfit looks cute on her." Momiji chimed in from behind him.

          When Kyou turned around and saw Momiji his mouth dropped. "You're wearing the same thing?"

          "Yup! Me and Keiko are twins for today," he said hopping over to her side.

          "You let him get away with dressing you like that?" Kyou yelled.

          "Well beggars can't be choosers and I don't mind… that much."

          "If you were going to mind at all why did you agree to wear it?" Kyou continued fuming.

          "Well if it makes you so upset that I'm wearing Momiji's cloths I'll change right away into some of yours." Keiko said with a mock apologetic tone.

          "What?!" Kyou asked caught off guard.

          "I wouldn't mind wearing your cloths at all, especially since I've had my eye on that blue sweat shirt of yours." Keiko continued suddenly having a beauty of youth moment.

          "You mean the one with the hood?" Kyou asked no longer focused.

          "That's right." Keiko answered.

          "Kyou shook his head snapping out of it and remembering he was in the middle of fuming. "Hell no! That's my favorite shirt and since when are you so interested in my cloths?"

          "It just seemed to bother you so much that I am wearing Momiji's cloths. I thought it would make you feel better if I wore yours instead."

          "It sounds to me that Kyou would rather have you walk around with no cloths on at all." Momiji said causing Kyou to turn burnt red.

          "I said no such thing you little lecher!" Kyou yelled.

          "You may not have said it but you were thinking it." Momiji teased.

          "I was not!" Kyou shouted as he slammed Momiji into the ground.

          "Waaah! Keiko, make Kyou stop hitting me," Momiji wailed.

          Keiko sighed. _"Sorry Momiji, but if Kyou hadn't done it I just might have. You've got no one but yourself to blame in this case." _She thought as she walked onto the porch. "I'm going to change." She said disappearing inside the house.        

          After changing into her own cloths Keiko sent Momiji home. Then went to make some tea and watch TV while Kyou returned to his reading on the roof.

          "There's nothing on." Keiko said out loud as she turned the TV off. _"I wonder where Tohru and Yuki are?" _She thought as she felt her eyelids become heavy. "In the mean time I'll just take a five minute nap." She said laying down where she sat at the heater. It seemed like only a few seconds had passed when she felt something cold run up her leg. Keiko sat up. Whatever had crawled up her skirt was now wrapped around her torso.

          "Look at all the vegetables we picked from your garden." Tohru said happily as she carried a basket full of carrots and potatoes.

          "The leeks turned out very well this year." Yuki added as he carried his own basket full of fresh leeks.

          "With all this I can make plenty of stew for Hatori and the others." Tohru said ever mindful of those around her.

          Yuki was about to say thing when he heard screaming coming from Shigure's house. The scream sent chills down their backs and they both dropped the baskets they were holding. _"Keiko!" _Yuki thought as he ran toward the house. 

          Quickly reaching into her blouse to pull out whatever had attached itself to her Keiko pulled out the head of a snake. At first she wasn't bothered by the creature until it opened its eyes and looked directly at her; that's when she let out a blood curdling scream that awaken Kyou who had fallen asleep on the roof.

          "What's wrong?" Kyou asked panicked appearing seconds after hearing Keiko scream.

          "Keikochan!" Yuki shouted as he rushed in the front door knocking Kyou over.

          "Get this pervert off of me!" Keiko screamed as she struggled to get the Snake off of her body.

          Struck by uncontrollable angry Yuki ran over to yank the reptile off of Keiko.

          "Get him off!" Keiko screamed.

          "I'm trying stay still."  Yuki said trying to get close enough to Keiko without transforming, which was proving difficult to do since Keiko was continuously moving about pulling at the creature.

          "I don't care how you get him off of me just do it." Keiko said calming down enough to stay still as she opened her shirt. Kyou fainted and Yuki wasn't far behind. The snake was tightly wrapped around her chest and didn't seem as if it were going to go anywhere anytime soon.

          "Let go!" Keiko said hitting its body with her right fist.

          Recovering Yuki started pulling at the creature's body. "Come off of her damn you!" He growled his eyes resonating with fiery.

          Sitting up Kyou watched helplessly as the two struggled against the resilient pest. "Gaagh!" Kyou gasped as a rat ran over his foot. His eyes widened as the room seemed to fill with rats.

          "Let Yuki's friend go!" Yuki heard one of the rats say as it leaped into the air and bit the tale of the Snake. The Snake hollered and released the vice grip it had on Keiko allowing Yuki to capture it. "Are you ok?" The rat's voice audible only to Yuki asked as it came to perch on Keiko's shoulder.

          "You've gone too far this time." Yuki said his eyes still resonating as the small rodents that had come to his aid crawled about his shoulders and on top of his head.

          "Ah, ah, Yuki, I can't breathe." The Snake said through forced breaths.

          "What's going on?" Shigure asked as he entered the living room. He was not too far away when his sharp canine ears heard Keiko screaming. "Yuki?" He said as a rat ran out of the room followed by the others until they had all disappeared.

          "Guresan!" The Snake said gasping for air.

          "Aya!" Shigure said happily as he ran over and took the Snake from Yuki's hand.

          "How are you?" Shigure asked excitedly.

          "I'm gonna kill him!" Yuki fumed.

          "Yukikun, what has gotten you so-." Shigure stopped mid sentence when he saw Keiko's blouse open reviling the pink bra she was wearing. By then Kyou was already outside.

          "Kyoukun, what's wrong?" Tohru asked seeing the expression on Kyou's face as she ran toward the house.

          "Stop staring you perverts!" Keiko's voice could be heard crystal clear as she yelled at Ayame and Shigure. Yuki was coolly  making his way outside as the house rumbled with crashing and other sounds of violence.

          "Y-Yukikun." Tohru said as a very angry Yuki walked by her.

          "I'm going to get the vegetables we dropped he said as he continued walking.

          Moments later a bewildered Tohru was on her way to her room. "Um…uh…" Tohru said as she tried to open the door to her room and found it locked. Keiko was changing into a pair of jeans. Quickly she ran over to the door and yanked Tohru in.

          "Sorry, about locking you out. I was trying to make sure that pervert didn't come in here while I was changing.

          "Pervert?" Tohru question not yet made privy as to what had taken place before she made it all the way to the house (Compared to most people Yuki runs at light speed). "What happened?"

          "I was taking a nap in the living room when something crawled up my skirt. It woke me up of course. When I realized a snake had wrapped itself around me I was kind of disturbed by it, but basically what was going through my mind was "dumb animal." I was going to pull it off of me and throw it outside when it stared at me. That's when I realized it was no ordinary snake."

          "By not being ordinary you mean…"

          "That's right I could tell from the moment it looked at me that it was really a human being."

          "You could tell?" Tohru asked her emotions somewhere between sickened and amazed.

          "That's right. Ever since I was little I've always had this sixth sense about things." Keiko answered as she sat down on the bed. "Ugh!" Keiko shuddered. "It makes me sick just thinking about that pervert touching me."

          _"Perhaps it wouldn't be such a good idea to tell her that that pervert is Yuki's older brother," _Tohru thought sitting down next to her and giving her a hug. "It's okay I know how you feel." She said trying to comfort the shaken girl.

          "What?" Keiko said looking into her eyes. "Don't tell me…" Keiko's voice trailed off has she continued to look Tohru in the eyes.

          "Um, what's wrong?" Tohru asked becoming nervous as Keiko leaned closer to her face. The other girl's eyes then lit with the fire of passionate anger.

          "Tohru!" Keiko exclaimed hugging her. "Don't you worry; I'll make him pay for what he did to us!" She said thunderously as she stood up cracking her knuckles then ran out of the door.

          "Where is he?" Keiko demanded as she came down the stairs, not seeing Kyou and nearly knocking him over. "Where is he, I said!" Keiko boomed at Shigure who was sitting by the heater reading a newspaper.

          "Looking for someone?" He asked nonchalantly.

          "Don't play dumb with me! Where is he?" Keiko said grabbing Shigure by the collar.

          "Oh Aya? He's around her somewhere." The Dog said purposely allowing his eyes to drift toward his room.

          "Oh, so that's where you were hiding the snake." Keiko said dropping Shigure and running over to the door. She was just about to snatch the door open when it seemed to suddenly slide open on its own.  Keiko then suddenly found herself face to face with Ayame.

          "Gah!" She uttered leaping backward then falling on her backside.

          "I heard a woman crying out for me. I'm here!" Ayame announced.

          "Aya, calm down she's still a minor." Shigure said mischievously.

          "Oh really?" Aya said looking over at her a small sweat drop coming down his head. "Oh well, no matter." He said waving his hand.

          "You sick bastard." Kyou grumbled crushing the soda can he was holding.

          _"He looks just like Yuki. Don't tell me he's related to this pervert."_ Keiko thought, near fainting, as she beheld the longhaired man standing in front of her.

          "She seems to be awestricken." Shigure commented as he watched Keiko on the floor.

          "Yes, I do have that effect on women." Ayame added.

          "I think I'm going to throw up." Keiko muttered as she stood up. _"Now about the business of breaking pretty boy's face." _Keiko thought taking a step forward when Ayame grabbed her hands.

          "I hope you do forgive me." Ayame said his words streaming together almost too fast for Keiko to understand him. "I was coming to visit when a sudden breeze of cold air caught me. As the Snake I am sensitive to the cold so I ended up transforming. Naturally I quickly sought out the nearest source of heat. I didn't mean to cause you any harm. When you screamed I tensed up and then with Yuki threatening to kill me I didn't want to let you go, so I clung to you for my very life. I hope you will please find it in your heart to forgive." Ayame pleaded.

          "Whatever, fine, just let go of my hands already." Keiko said her eyes swirling from trying to understand Ayame's hurried speech.

          "Thank you!" Ayame rejoiced. "But, it seems that a simple apology just isn't enough. Please allow me the honor of taking you out on a date." Ayame said leaning dangerously close to her face. Everyone turned around when they heard the sound of something heavy dropping to the floor.

          "Yuki don't throw food on the floor like that." Shigure said mockingly. Yuki had brought back the vegetables as he said he would. The trip back to the house gave him time to somewhat clam down, but when he saw Ayame bothering Keiko again all of his anger returned.

          "Why are you touching her? Didn't you have enough the first time around?" Yuki questioned.

          "I was simply offering my apologizes to the young lady." He explained smiling, still holding her hand.

          "Since when do you have to touch someone to apologize?"

          "It's just her hand, Yukikun." Shigure smiled finding his younger cousin's anger amusing.

          "I don't care! Let her go this instant!"

          "Yes, maybe I should so I can take her measurements to make her a dress in order to make up for my behavior." Ayame said pulling a tape measurer out of nowhere.

          "You will not!" Yuki yelled.

          "Hm, oh, yes. I guess that would seem inappropriate as well," he admitting putting the tape measurer away. "Then how about I take her out to dinner instead? Do you like Chinese?" Ayame asked turning to face Keiko once more. "Good." He said not giving her a chance to answer. "We'll be back later. Don't wait up!" He said taking Keiko by the hand and running away with her.

          After dragging Keiko to one of his favorite Chinese restaurants Ayame sat down and skimmed the menu. "Waiter, we'll have two orders of Peking Duck." Ayame said hand the man both menus. "So, anyway, let's get to know each other a little better while we wait for our meal." Ayame said looking over at Keiko who was sitting across from him.

          "There's nothing interesting about me to know." Keiko answered.

          "I'm shocked to hear you say such a thing. A beautiful young lady such as yourself can hardly be considered uninteresting." Ayame said letting his yellow brown eyes settle on her. _"I can see why Akito wanted her to stay." _He thought as he rested his chin on the back of his hand. "So, what do you think of my little brother?"

          "Brother…" Keiko said in disbelief despite the resemblance.

          "Yes, can't you tell? People always say we look alike." Ayame said posing.

          "I figured you two were related, but brothers… Wow, you're so different from one another."

          "Yes, that is true but our differences are what make us uniquely alluring don't you think?"

          "Uh… I guess." Keiko said not sure how to respond.

          "When I heard another flower had come to live among us thorns I just had to meet her. A pity you're still in high school." He said giving her a queer look. "Even so it doesn't mean we still can't have a good time."

          Keiko's face turned blue at Ayame's words. _"What does he mean by "good time"?" _She wondered.

          "So anyway, tell me; how is my brother treating you?"

          "Fine." Keiko answered politely.

          "Has he mentioned me? By the way you reacted to finding out I am his brother he probably hasn't mentioned me at all." Ayame said his expression becoming sad causing Keiko to pity him.

          "I'm sorry." Keiko said trying to be of some comfort.

          "It's okay. He must still be angry with me."

          "Angry with you, for what," Keiko asked curiously.

          "Because of the age difference I suppose and due to my own self centeredness me and Yuki never really were that close. Add to that the fact that he was often kept indoors away from everyone else; we never really had a chance to get to know one another. Then the one time he came to me for help I passed him by as if he wasn't even there. I never forgave myself for that and now any time I get to spend with him is very precious to me." Ayame said sincerely.

          "I can understand that." Keiko said her thoughts leaning on her parents. "At least you still have time to spend with your brother. I have no more time with my parents. My memories of them are what is most precious to me." Keiko said solemnly. "So, I can understand why it is so important to you to spend time with Yuki."

          "I'm glad to be able to spend time like this with you as well, Keikokun." Ayame said causing Keiko to feel even more uncomfortable than she already was. "It's good to know there are people like you who can sympathize with my situation, even though it's my own fault. You're a good person just like Tohrukun, except with a bit of a temper." He added smiling. "Some men might find it a turn off, but I think it only adds to your beauty."

          "I'm sixteen." Keiko emphasized.

          "Oh, right you are. That must have seemed offensive to you. How about we extend our date- I mean outing by catching a movie, you know to make up for my bad behavior? We don't have to go see an action movie we can go see something a girl your age would enjoy like a romance film. I prefer those myself anyway." Ayame jabbered.

          Keiko opened her mouth to speak, but found herself without words. Making an inaudible sigh Keiko lowered her head in defeat as Ayame continued to rant. 

          By ten Tohru and Shigure had went to sleep, but Kyou and Yuki stayed up until eleven waiting for Keiko and Ayame to return; which was the time the two boys saw them coming down the path to Shigure's house. Kyou sat watching from his window as he went over his class notes while Yuki kept a vigilant watch from down stairs. When Yuki caught sight of them he ran out of the door like lightening. When Kyou saw that Yuki was already confronting Ayame he closed the curtain and punched his pillow feeling beaten yet again by the Rat.

          "What did you do?" Yuki demanded of Ayame.

          "First we had dinner then we went to a movie and right now I am just tuckered out." Ayame answered with a small yawn.

          "He didn't try anything did he?" Yuki asked Keiko.

          "Actually no." Keiko answered.

          "What kind of man do you think I am?" Ayame asked slightly insulted.

          "You don't want to know." Yuki answered grabbing Keiko and pulling her into the house.

          "Now behave yourself Yuki!" Ayame managed to call out despite his drooping eyelids.

          "Shut up!" Yuki snapped as he continued inside. Keiko nearly half asleep herself wasn't concerned about being dragged away until she realized Yuki was leading up stairs.

          "Um Yuki?" Keiko said once they reached the second floor. "W-."

          "Hold on." Yuki whispered opening the door to his room and then locking it once they were inside.

Keiko sweat dropped. "Um, what's going on?" Keiko asked becoming worried.

"Everyone locked their room doors except for Shigure." Yuki answered.

"Why?"

A dark shadow went over Yuki's face before he spoke again. "He really didn't try to touch you again?" He asked with his back to her.

"No." Keiko answered believing Ayame's excuse for his earlier transgression since for the most part he behaved himself during the evening.

"Don't let him fool you." Yuki said. "I'm so ashamed to admit it, but my older brother is a pervert."

"You say everyone except Shigure locked their doors?"

"Yes."

_"What kind of pervert is he?"_ Keiko asked herself. _"I mean why would everyone need to lock their doors when he's around?"_

"So, for tonight you can sleep in here." Yuki continued to whisper.

"It's ok. I know I'll be waking Tohru but she'll understand…" Keiko's voice trailed off as she heard the door shake as if someone where trying to open it. Her heart jumped in her throat. _"I know it wouldn't be appropriate, but now I'm kind of scared to go out there." _She thought gulping.

The expression on Yuki's face darkened. _"If I go out there I'm going to kill him."_ He thought forcing himself to turn from the door. Walking over to closet he proceeded to pull everything out and lay his clothes on his desk.

"What are you doing?" Keiko asked as she watched his peculiar actions.

"I don't want you to feel uncomfortable so you can sleep in my bed and I can sleep in the closet."

Keiko let her head drop. _"That will only make things worse." _She thought then pulled her head back up. "That's not going to make me feel better. You're not some kind of wild animal; I can't just let you lock yourself in the closet. If anything that would make me more uncomfortable."

"I'm sorry." Yuki apologized.

"For what?"

"For my stupid brother; you probably wanted to take a bath before you went to bed."

"Yeah, but I can always get up early in the morning and take a shower. It's not your fault your brother is a freak."

"Then it's ok if I sleep out here, with you? On the floor I mean…" Yuki asked unconsciously giving Keiko a wide-eyed puppy dog look.

"Yeah," Keiko answered sitting on his bed and laying down. "I feel kind of guilty for making you go through all of this trouble."

"Don't feel guilty. My brother is the one that should feel guilty." Yuki said lying down on the floor by the bed.

"Thank you." Keiko said. When she didn't hear a reply she looked down on the floor to find Yuki fast asleep. _"You really are like an older brother to me Yuki." _She thought then closed her eyes.

A/N: For this chapter I really wanted to put the spotlight on how much of a menace Ayame is and why. Does anyone remember how he supposedly saved his classmates after they took a detour into the red-light district? Anyone that depraved as a teenager I think is most certainly worse as a full grown adult. So, if anyone thought Ayame was a bit over the top in this chapter/fiction that is my reason why and I'm sticking to it.

ANYWAYZ! Next chapter: Dance of the Flopping Jellyfish; ripples in the water cannot be caught.

Bootleg Omake Theatre #3 Late Night Apology (It coincides with the storyline.)  

          "Hey Haru." Momiji said as he cautiously entered his room.

          "Yeah," Hatsuharu replied looking away from the window he was staring out of.

          "I'm sorry about pissing you off last night and this morning and-."

          "It's ok." Hatsuharu said cutting him off.

          "It is?" Momiji asked.

          "Why would I still be angry with you? After all I really scare the crap out of you when I go black. It's kind of funny." He said with a small chuckle.

          "So then all those times you said you would rip my head off you didn't mean it?" Momiji asked hopefully.

          "Who knows? You know I'm out of control when I'm like that. So don't go getting me angry again for no reason." Hatsuharu warned.

          Momiji blinked and sweat dropped. "Ok." He agreed.

A/N: This one was shorter than the first two, but it made since… this time.


	9. Dance Of The Flopping Jellyfish Ripples ...

Eye Of The Storm 

Chapter 9

Dance Of The Flopping Jellyfish; Ripples On The Water Cannot Be Caught

"Like the subtle stench of food going bad; I can smell it, he's up to something again."

        "Yuki." Keiko whispered after opening her eyes. "Yuki." She said again leaning over the bed; he was still asleep. "Yuuukiii." Keiko called one last time running the back of her hand down the side of his face.

        Yuki gasped sitting up. His heart was pounding fast. Keiko had scared the living daylights out of him. "What is it?" He asked casually even though he still had a frightened expression on his face.

        "I'm sorry to wake you up, but I need you to guard the bathroom door while I shower."

        "Sure, okay." Yuki said standing with his hand to his heart.

        "Are you ok?" Keiko asked.

        "I was having a bad dream."

        "About what?"

        Yuki closed his eyes remembering that at the exact moment Keiko touched him he was dreaming that he saw a snake slither under his blanket. "Never mind, it was nothing."

"That bad, huh? Sorry about scaring you out of your sleep."

"It's okay. Don't worry about it." Yuki said reassuringly. "What time is it?"

"Oh, it's a little after six. I think Tohru may be up now starting on breakfast."

"Just a second let me get dressed first." Yuki said unbuttoning his pajama shirt.

"You idiot!" Keiko said punching him in the head. "I'm still in here."

"I didn't think you would mind." Yuki said giving her an innocent look.

        Keiko let out a frustrated sigh and walked toward the door. "I'll wait for you down stairs." She said as she left the room. "And to think it wasn't that long ago he was embarrassed that I saw him naked. Guess he's gotten used to the idea of having me around. It's a shame. I don't know how to feel concerning that." Keiko thought as she pulled out a fresh school uniform to wear. "But this is what I wanted; to be a part of a family again, so why do I still feel like an outsider in this house? I have tried so hard to blend in here, but it just doesn't seem to be enough. Shigure jokes, but the way he looks at me… I don't like it; it makes me feel like a stranger. I've come to honestly care about this family as if it were my own and despite that Yuki is the only one I feel I can be open with. Maybe it's like that in a lot of family's? Even so, it doesn't matter; I can't tell him how I feel right now."

        "Keikochan." Yuki said as he opened the door to the room she and Tohru shared. "How did I know you would still be up here somewhere? He said smiling. "Are you okay?" He asked seeing the far away expression her face.

        "Why did I have to go and start getting depressed all of a sudden? I don't want him or anyone else worrying about me." Keiko thought as she pulled a smile. "I'm fine, must still be a little groggy I suppose." She said heading toward the door.

        Downstairs, just as Keiko was going into the bathroom, they could hear footsteps coming down the hallway. As soon as they saw it was Ayame Keiko slammed the door and Yuki jumped in front of it.

        "Morning, little brother," Ayame greeted with a yawn.

        "Morning," Yuki replied.

        "Hm? Is Keikokun taking a bath now?"

        "That's none of your concern."

        "If she is, which I'm sure of, you don't have to stand in front of the door like that… unless perhaps you were hoping to sneak a peak. Were you?" Ayame asked narrowing his eyes.

        "Only you would do something so disgusting!" Yuki's expression had turned from serious to angry in the blink of an eye.

        "Oh Yuki! I know the fire that burns inside of you but you must control yourself!" Ayame shouted just before Yuki clobbered him.

        "Aya, what are you doing on the floor?" Shigure asked looking as if he had not slept a wink during the night.

        "Just bonding a little with my brother," Ayame replied from where he was on the floor, his eyes swirling dizzyingly.

        Looking over at Yuki who was standing in front of the bathroom door with his arms folded Shigure seemed to perk up a bit. "Is Keikokun taking a morning shower?"

        Yuki made no reply except to give the Dog a threatening look.

        "Sorry to keep you waiting so long, breakfast is almost ready." Tohru said popping her head around the corner.

        "Really," Ayame asked jumping to his feet. "I want firsts." He said quickly rushing into the dining room. Shigure looked at Yuki one last time and smiled before returning to the dining room.

        Ten minutes later Keiko and Yuki joined the group as they patiently waited for their meal.

        "What's taking her so long? I'm starving." Kyou grumbled. Yuki looked over at him ready to hurl an insult but before he could Keiko intervened.

        "I really should be helping to prepare breakfast." She said standing up and running into the kitchen.

        "Good morning, Keikokun." Tohru said happily.

        "Good morning. Sorry about getting up so late and making you do this on your own." Keiko apologized.

        "It's okay, I don't mind. Besides if I had not burnt the rice I would have been finished by now."

        "You burned the rice?" Keiko questioned amazed.

        "I know it was really wasteful of me." Tohru said her face red with embarrassment.

        "Don't feel bad." Keiko said patting her on the back. "I used to burn a whole lot more than rice. Once I burnt a whole meal."

        "You did?" Tohru asked taking her turn to be amazed.

        Keiko sweat dropped. "See, I really am horrible compared to you aren't I?" She said placing the food Tohru had prepared into the appropriate dishes.

        "It's not true!" Tohru exclaimed causing Keiko to look up at her. "You're really smart and pretty. You are good at sports and I bet you know how to build a house from the ground up. So, don't feel bad because you're not so good at one thing because you are really good at a lot of other things."

        "Oh Tohru, thanks for trying to cheer me up," Keiko said hugging her. "Did I really sound that upset about it? My crappy cooking does bother me a little, but that's not really what's on my mind. Tohru is such a good friend. She can sense when someone is feeling down and does everything she can to make that person feel one hundred times better. I suppose we are in the same boat, but still it seems like she belongs here more than I do, like she was destined to find them and they her." Keiko thought as she helped Tohru carry the food into the dining room.

        "Keikokun, I here you and Ayame had a good time last night." Shigure said nonchalantly then looked over at Ayame who was sitting perpendicular to him. "Aya, I thought I was your only one."

        "It wasn't like that!" Keiko groaned.

        "I may have spent the evening on the town with her, but I spent the night with you, Shiichan." Ayame replied mischievously.

        "Keikokun!" Tohru exclaimed when Keiko nearly dropped the tray of food she was holding as she reeled at hearing the vain words that came out the two men's mouths.

Regaining her composure Keiko walked over to the table and carefully sat the food down by Kyou. "What you do with your time is your business, but nothing happened between me and Ayame last night." Keiko said in a low voice while keeping her head low to hide the contempt and utterly disgusted expression that was on her face.

"Then you remained fateful after all." Shigure said pretending to be overjoyed.

"Just as you always keep me up at night I will always be by your side." Ayame said and the two burst into hysterical laughter.

"I'm not all that hungry, so I'll go clean up." Keiko said leaving for the kitchen."

"You two are disgusting!" Kyou yelled as he grabbed up a bowl of rice and some fish. "I'm going to my room!"

"You're not eating?" Shigure asked noticing Yuki as he quietly left the table.

"No." Yuki answered putting all his effort into being civil.

"I should go help Keikokun." Tohru said leaving the room. One on one Tohru could usually handle being around Shigure and Ayame, but since everyone else had gone she did not want to be left alone with the both of them.

"Was it something we said?" Ayame questioned with a slight smile on his face.

"They just left the room… and the food." Shigure said looking at the two trays.

"Yes!" They simultaneously exclaimed then hurriedly separated what was supposed to be breakfast for six between them.       

"You don't think we went too far do you? I mean I was hoping to spend some time with my little brother this morning." Ayame said after shoving a large amount of rice into his mouth with his chopsticks.

Shigure had opted to use his hands and had a mouth full of fish and rice. His eyes almost popped out when he heard what Ayame had to say. "Too far? I never thought that term was part of your vocabulary. Just look at it this way; you may not have gotten any quality time with Yuki, but you have grown a little. I'm very disappointed in you." Shigure said taking a bite of a cucumber slice. "Besides, you know you're always welcome to stay here as long as you like."

"Oh, I can't. I really shouldn't leave my shop for too long."

"What?" Shigure uttered lowering his eyes. "Is this the same Aya that left his shop for almost a week last year?"

"Hmph," Ayame smirked. "You know you really do keep me up at night. I should be the one disappointed in you. You choose the strangest times to start working. Clicking away at the keyboard as you were, I don't see how you didn't wake everyone else up."

"It was only for a couple of hours. Besides I like to have my manuscripts finished a month in advance, so I can spend more time on other things."

"Like torturing your editor?"

"Exactly!"

"Maybe Hatori's responsible influence is finally having an effect on me." Ayame said standing up. "I'm going to be a bit busy for a while so see you on New Year's. Oh yes, and thanks for the meal." Ayame said taking a bite of the small fish he was holding then left.

Shigure looked down at his plate to find his last piece of fish missing. "Not quite." He said smiling.

That afternoon Keiko fund herself eating lunch alone. "That's right Momiji and Hatsuharu are both sick." She thought finding a comfortable spot to sit outside by a tree.

"Look at her; all smug and, and… just absolutely perfect." Yuki fan club member No.3 said finding it difficult to continue hating the girl that had become the princess of their high school.

"Stop idolizing that witch! She's the one seducing Yuki against us!" The fanclub president said punching the star struck girl on the top of her head.

"What about that other girl?" Member No.2 asked.

"Honda Tohru isn't important anymore! I will admit while she had his attention for a while she was no where near as dangerous as this girl."

"Keikochan may be prettier than us, but Hondasan is friends with that Yankee and vibe." No.3 said rubbing her head.

"That may be true, but with a good plan we could jump that Honda girl before they knew about it, but Yamada Keiko is not as vulnerable as Honda Tohru."

"What do you mean?" No.2 asked.

"She means that freak of nature is a black belt." No.1 said angrily.

"Not only that but I over heard her talking to the vibe the other day and it would seem that she also has powers," the president stated.

"What? No way! Out of all the schools in Japan ours has two vibes!" No.1 said in shock and disbelief.

"It's true, I heard it with my own ears."

"Hello." Keiko said as she approached Saki.

"Good afternoon."

"You're Tohru's friend right?"

"Yes, that's right. I'm afraid we haven't been formally introduced."

"Oh, I suppose you don't want to talk to me." Keiko said looking down at the folder she was holding.

"No, on the contrary; I've been wanting to talk to you for a very long time."

"Oh?"

"Yes, but I didn't think someone like you would want to talk to a plain person like me."

"No, no, that's not true at all. I've been wanting to meet you too, but I didn't just come and introduce myself because I did not want to seem rude. I mean after all you are Tohru's friends I thought it would be better if she introduced us herself."

"Yes, Tohru is usually very good about these things, but with all the studying for college entrance exams I suppose she forget. I hope you aren't upset with her."

"No, it's completely understandable. I'm just glad I am finally able to meet you."

"Thank you, I'm very touched." Saki said giving a slight smile. "You have a very strong aura."

"That's funny I was thinking the same thing about you."

"Really?"

"Yeah, it's kind of embarrassing to admit but I can sense things other people can't."

"Is that so?"

"I must sound ridiculous to you, huh?"

"Not at all; I could tell from your vibes that you are very powerful."

"Wow, what a compliment, but I don't think so. I hear that you can use poison waves. That's pretty awesome, but my abilities are more like a sixth sense. Oh, yeah! I almost forgot. I found this in the hallway. It's one of Tohru's folders. Do you know where she is so I can give it too her?"

"No…"

"Oh…"

"…but she does have the next period with me. I can give it to her then."

"Great." Keiko said handing the folder to Saki. "Nice meeting you!" She said as walked away waving.

"I thought I would be stuck in that room forever waiting for them to walk away from the door." The club president said melodramatically while putting her hand to her chest.

"Oh, look there's Yuki." No.2 said not seeming to be particularly excited.

"He's coming right this way!" No.1 said.

"Nowaynowaynoway!" No.3 exclaimed.

"He doesn't look so go-." No.2 started to say, but No.1 had clamped her hand over her mouth.

"Shh, he might hear you." No.1 hissed. As Yuki walked by their eyes rested on him and followed him as he continued to walk right by them.

Perhaps if it were not for the growling of his stomach ringing in his ears he might have noticed their heavy stares and caused a group heart attack with an simple "hello", but he had one thing on his mind and one thing only- food. Once Yuki was out of hear shot they all sighed as if they had been holding their breath for a very long time. Those sighs quickly turned into gasps of indignation as they watched him walk right over to Keiko and sit down.

The plan was simple; ask a close friend for a few potato chips if she had any and if she didn't have that then figure out a way to get at least a crumb of whatever was in her possession. Yuki had rehearsed in his mind maybe a thousand times, between first period and lunch, what he was say to Tohru to get her to give him some of her lunch; he would pleasantly greet her then compliment her lunch, and last casually ask for a taste. The small script he had worked out in his mind was perfect. Tohru would undoubtedly give him her lunch if he were to flat out tell her he was so hungry he would do almost anything for a grain of rice, but that seemed far too shameless and selfish; something he would never do. When he saw her having lunch with Arisa and Saki he nearly fainted. There was no way he could approach the group without Saki sensing his hungry vibes, accuse him of coming to talk Tohru out her lunch, and then having to run from Arisa who just might try to rip his head off. "I'll just have to ask Keikochan…" Yuki thought walking off to find her. Though he had some reservations about asking her for food he would rather not be accused of taking advantage of a girl by her than by Saki or Arisa and be struck down by poison waves or a pipe.

After wondering around the school grounds for about fifteen minutes he finally saw Keiko sitting under a tree with plenty of food sitting on her lap. "Maybe it won't be that bad." Yuki thought as he approached her. Seeing the calm expression her face somehow relieved the anxiety he felt, so much so that he felt it would be all right to ask her for at leas enough food to curve the pains in his empty stomach.

"Good afternoon, Keikochan." Yuki said smiling brightly as he sat down next to her."

Keiko put her hand to heart; she was deep in thought and Yuki had startled her.

"What's up?" Keiko said quickly recovering and returning his smile.

"Well, I was wondering if you would mind sharing your lunch with me?" Yuki asked.

"Oh…" Keiko said disappointedly.

"Did I offend you?" Yuki asked nervously.

"No, it's just that me and Tohru made two huge lunches for you and Kyou since you weren't able to eat breakfast, but I guess you didn't get them before leaving. It doesn't matter; I'm sure Shigure ate them by now, and besides I kind of over stuffed my lunch bag anyway so take as much as you want."

"Are you sure? Is it really ok?"

"Yeah, go on ahead. I just wonder if Kyou has eaten yet."

"Oh, him…" Yuki paused to take a bite of tako. "He's fine. I saw him with a bunch of people earlier; a group of girls. They were all trying to give him their lunches." Yuki said chuckling as he recalled the panicked look on Kyou's face, then ate some rice.

"If you don't mind me asking; why do you suppose no one has tried to give you their lunch?"

"I hate to admit it but Kyou is more forward than I am. He probably just asked someone for food and despite being a hot head he's far more sociable than I am. So, once it was made known he was hungry I'm sure Kyou had everyone in his home room offering to share their lunch with him. I could never just walk up to someone and ask them to share their lunch with me like that. I was kind of nervous just asking you. Besides, I think, despite my act, people believe I am stuck up." He said still smiling, then put some more food into his mouth.

"You dummy." Keiko said smiling back. "I doubt anyone truly thinks you are stuck up. Despite how much you down yourself you're a good person."

Yuki smiled. "Thanks, you don't know how much I needed t hear that from you."  He thought as he continued eating.

"Aaah! I can't believe it he's eating her lunch!" No.1 said jumping to her feet. Swinging her left arm back in indignation she ended up hittng No.2 right in the face.

"Aren't those her chopstick he's using?" No.3 said putting her hand to her mouth.

The president was breaking out into a heavy sweat as she continued to watch them. "Didn't she just drink out of that can of tea? It's like they're making out right in front of us," she thought as sweat ran down her face.

"I can't take it anymore." No.3 said fainting.

"They do look really good together." No.2 said.

"SHUT UP!" The two remaining, conscious members yelled punching her in the head.

Shigure sat at his computer struggling with an acute case of writer's block. It wasn't his lacking in creativity that stalled his thinking; other things were playing heavily on his mind. He looked at the clock impatiently. When the hands struck 11 a.m. Shigure calmly rose from his seat to call Hatori.

"Hello Haasan, you're taking your lunch break soon?" Shigure asked in his usually nonchalant manner. "You mind if I join you? I'll be right over." Shigure said once Hatori reluctantly invited him. Remembering to turn off his computer Shigure quickly made his way out the door.

"You got here awfully fast." Hatori said opening the door for his cousin.

"Hey, when there's free food involved I can move pretty fast." Shigure said with a smile as he slipped out of his shoes.

"Cut the act and tell me why you're really here." Hatori demanded.

"Act," Shigure question letting a tear out on command. "I just wanted to spend some time with you because I was lonely. You're so cruel to me!" Shigure said hugging the frowning man.

"Whatever, now stop it." Hatori said carefully pushing Shigure off of himself. "Knowing you, you ran right over here without eating. Are you really that anxious to see Akito?" Shigure's only response was a short nervous giggle. "Well don't expect much I just made a fish sandwich and some tea so we'll have to split it."

"That's fine with me." Shigure said happily. "I'll just stuff myself with Tohruku's cooking at dinner." He thought taking half of the sandwich Hatori offered to him. It didn't take them long to eat and for nearly twenty minutes Shigure engaged Hatori in idol conversation. Every so often Shigure would sneak a peak at the clock on Hatori's office wall.

"I don't know what you and Akito are up to, but could you stop being so obvious, it's making me nervous." Hatori said sternly after having enough of watching the Dog fidget.

"You nervous? I never imaged the dragon would submit to such a trifle emotion." Shigure said with nervous grin.

"Don't start. Akito will be here in fifteen minutes. Is there anything you want to tell or rather confess?"

"Oh Hatori, you know me so well. The truth is I'm a little worried about Keikokun today."

"And why is that?"

"Well Tohrukun has to work today and Yuki has to stay after school for student council and Kyou… he's going to visit with Kazuma for a little while today. She'll have to walk home all by herself."

"You can't be serious." Hatori thought giving the Dog a suspicious gaze. "So, why don't you just pick her up from school?"

"It might embarrass her; after all she's a young lady in high school, not kindergarten and what if people get the wrong idea? It would be a shame if a rumor broke out that I was her secret love or anything."

"And since when has that been a problem for you?" Hatori asked sweat dropping.

"To be honest; for a while," Shigure answered seriously. "Actually, I have to get to my editor's office today and give her that manuscript she's been asking me about for over a month."

"You really do need to find a new hobby."

"But, I like this one just fine, not to mention I'm so good at it." Shigure smiled.

"When that woman comes to her senses and gives you the boot, be careful not to land on your face."

"Now that would never happen. I'm too valuable to her." The Dog grinned. "Well have on be on my way now." He said standing.

"Leaving so soon? Akito will be here for his check up in a couple of minutes; didn't you want to see him?"

"He wasn't really expecting me today so I'll just greet him as I leave. Give Haakun and Momiji my best." Shigure said waving and left.

After class Keiko found herself taking her time leaving the school. Walking down the empty corridor she paused to look out of the window. The sun was still shining brightly as if it were still noon. A gentle breeze in the autumn air blew a few dry leaves from their branches.

"What a lovely day." Keiko thought stretching her arms wide as she yawned with boredom; she couldn't wait until Momiji was well enough to come back to school. Without him there to stir things up each class session that day seemed to drag on forever.

"Yes, I thought so myself." A familiar voice said from behind her.

"Oh!" Keiko exclaimed turning around and bringing her arms down.

"Are you displeased to see me?" Akito asked narrowing his eyes, his voice remaining friendly.

"No, it's not like that at all. I'm just surprised to see you here." Keiko answered shaking her head. "Were you looking for Yuki or Kyou?" Keiko asked as she wondered why in the world Akito would show up at their school.

"Actually I was looking for you Keikosan." Akito smiled.

"Why?" Keiko asked carefully.

"I meant it when I said I wanted to get to know you better. Please, excuse me if my showing up here seems so sudden, but it was a spur of the moment thought. I figured it would be better to spend some time with you today while I was feeling up to it." He said extending his arm invitingly toward Keiko. "Come, I'll walk you home."

"Actually… I had to stop by Hatori's house to give Momiji and Hatsuharu their homework."

"Is that so?"

"Yes, they both have become ill. Is that a problem?" Keiko asked as they both walked down the hall.

"Of course not," Akito answered. "Perhaps it is for the best."

For most of the walk to the main estate they traveled in silence until Keiko spoke breaking the deafening silence between them. "Akito, if you don't mind me asking…" Keiko stopped mid sentence deciding against the question she was going to ask.

"What is it?"

"Um, uh, where do you attend school?"

"I don't. I've always had private tutors. Even now with my college work, but of course most of that is done online. Does that seem odd to you?"

"No, my parents were considering hiring tutors since we moved around so much, but I told them I would be fine changing schools. I guess they were concerned about me becoming too attached to one place and figured it would make the moves easier on me if I had tutors instead."

"You sound as if you regret your decision."

"Well I kind of do. Each school I went to was different; sometimes that was a good thing and sometimes it wasn't. Though we spent most of our time in France we always ended up going to different countries from time to time. Sometimes the other children would tease me terribly and others I got along with just fine."

"Do you have any regrets about staying here, with us?"

"No, I'm glad to have met you." Keiko smiled as they stopped at the main gate to the Sohma residence.

"I have something to ask of you." Akito said bringing his left hand to the side of Keiko's face.

"What is it?" Keiko asked unable to avoid eye to eye contact.

"Was that really what you wanted to talk to me about?"

"No…" Keiko answered.

"What is it that you really wanted to say?"

"I…" Keiko started not wanting to ask her original question. "It would be too much like prying if I asked." She admitted.

"Tell me; what was it you wanted to ask me?" Akito insisted.

"I wanted to know your zodiac curse." Keiko answered feeling the overwhelmingly compelled to answer his question.

"You were correct in not telling me." Akito thought as he smiled showing his teeth. "If you knew the burden I carry you undoubtedly would not dare be this close to me." Being careful not to making any motion that would be a hug, Akito leaned forward and kissed Keiko's lips.

Seventeen minutes before noon Akito showed up early for his appointment with Hatori.

"Akitosama." A middle aged woman in a kimono said coming into the room and seeing him at the door. "Would you like me to inform the doctor that you are here?"

"No, I'll tell him myself." Akito answered then dismissed her. Making his way to Hatori's office he stopped at the door and listened carefully to the conversation between the Dragon and the Dog. A little while later Shigure emerged from the room.

"Hello, Akito." Shigure greeted his tone slightly different when speaking to the younger man.

"Shigure," Akito said with a small smirk. "You're leaving? Since you are here I would like to talk with you for a while, that is unless you have other plans for the day."

"Actually I do, but I'll be sure to make an extra trip back over here just for you." Shigure said then left.

"How are you today Haotori?" Akito asked as he entered the office.

"I'm the same as usual." Hatori said taking a tongue depressor from his desk. "You've been quite healthy lately, but I still ask that you come in weekly for a check up."

"It must be disappointing."

        "Not really." Hatori thought as he checked Akito's ears. "The only disappointed here may be you at  not having me as your personal nurse for the time being."

        "Why are you looking so diligently for signs of illness?"

        "I hope you don't honestly believe I want you to be sick."

        "Don't you miss all the time we used to spend together?"

        "To be honest you're the most bothersome patient I have, but I can't complain too much since we always had Kobe beef for dinner."

        "So the truth comes out."

        "If you had sensed that I was holding something back wouldn't you have forced it out of me regardless?"

        "True. What's the point in having such ability if you don't use it to your advantage?"

        "Maybe there is no point in having such abilities as you and I posse except to serve our own selfish purposes." Hatori thought as memories of erasing the minds of Yuki's friends flooded his mind. "It may be delfish, but sometimes, sadly, necessary."

Author's Note: Wonder if anyone saw that coming? But, trust me it would be much worse for Akito to hug Keiko. Next chapter is her reaction to his seemingly over zealous show of affection.

Bootleg Omake Theatre #4 (Deleted Scene) The Meeting

        "Is there a reason you have come to see me today?" Akito asked after releasing the bird that was perched on his finger.

        "You know I always have a reason." Shigure answered. "No matter how trifle it may be."

        "What is it this time?"

        "Don't worry, this time I have some news you will be very interested in."

        "What kind of news?"

        "As you already know the Bunny and the Ox have come down with the flu and won't be in school tomorrow. What you might not know is Tohrukun has to work that evening and Yuki has student council after school."

        "Why are you telling me this?"

        "I thought it would have been obvious. You were looking forward to spending more time with Keikokun weren't you? Now if it were only possible to get Kyou out of the way so it would be just the two of you."

        "You say that as if you don't already have a plan."

        "You're right I do. Kazumasan has been looking forward to seeing Kyou before the New Year, but he just won't come out and tell the boy himself. He doesn't think he should send for him just yet, so he's been sitting in that dojo of his moping about despite the fact I'm sure Kyou would jump at the chance to see the man that raised him. Tonight when I get the chance to speak with him alone I'll subtly mention that I talked with Kazumasan, that he asked how he was doing, and suggest he go visit him."

        "Do you really think the stupid Cat will go for it?"

        "I'm positive he will."

        "Even is spite of his fickle nature? How can I be sure he'll follow script?"

        "I can always come back here tomorrow afternoon and let you know if things played out well."

        "Yes, please do so. I have an appointment with Hatori tomorrow at noon. I'll be outside his office fifteen minutes before then. Do you understand?"

        "Perfectly."

A/N: This is the end of Bootleg Omake Theatre #4; I hope you enjoyed it (especially since it ties in with the chapter and makes perfect sense.)


	10. Full Speed Ahead! Kagura Charges In

Eye Of The Storm

Chapter 10

Full Speed Ahead! Kagura Charges In

_"This can't be happening. This isn't happening. God, please let this be some freaky weird dream." _These are the thoughts that went through Keiko's mind as Akito kissed her. Stepping away Keiko brought her right hand to her mouth. _"No, that couldn't have been my first kiss; it couldn't have been and from Akito of all people! I think I'm going to die." _

"What's wrong?" Akito asked lowering his eyelids.

"That was my first kiss." Keiko uttered.

"Did I ruin it for you?"

_"Ruin? Ruin would not exactly describe it. Yuki would probably hate me if he knew… and the others. I have no idea how they would react. I can't believe I just let him kiss me!" _Keiko thought as she begin to torture herself."No." Keiko answered not knowing what else to say.

"Good, I'm glad." Akito smiled.

"The homework," Keiko murmmered looking down at her school bag.

"Hm?"

"I should probably take Hatsuharu and Momiji their homework before it gets too late."

"I'll walk with you, that is if you don't mind."

"I, um, no I don't mind." The walk to Hatori's house seemed longer than the first time she visited. Keiko kept her head down nearly the whole way there out of embarrassment. When she did look up she could see Akito smiling at her and she would promptly return her gaze to the ground. _"Ok get a hold of yourself or they'll get suspicious." _Keiko thought has she extended a shaky finger to ring the door bell.

"Hello." Hatori said opening the door immediately after the door bell rang; the doctor's sudden appearance freightened the already on edge Keiko causing her hair to stand on end.

"That was quick." Akito commented.

"Keiko." Hatori nodded stepping aside so that she could enter the house. "I didn't expect to see you this evening." Hatori said to Akito once Keiko was inside then closed the door behind himself.

"Not that I have to explain myself to you, but I ran into Keikosan on the way home and decided to accompany her here."

"When it comes to you and other people we both know that any interaction you have with them is not by chance."

"However true that maybe it would do you good to mind your own business until instructed otherwise." Akito said coldly then turned to leave.

"Yes, and Akito please be sure to wear a coat when you go out. It would be a shame if you caught a cold in this chilly weather; especially after you've been doing so well lately." Hatori said roughly though he was concerned for the young man's health. In response Akito turned his head and glared at him then continued walking. The doctor didn't take well to being threatened, but there was nothing he could do about it. Maybe it was because he spent so much time with Akito, taking care of him whenever he became ill; he knew better than anyone that his sinister and vengeful behavior could not be helped and because of that Hatori could not truly find it in his heart to be angry with him no matter what he did.

In the living room Keiko found the bunny and the ox both sitting at the heater watching TV. Before she had a chance to announce her presence Momiji was already out of his seat and standing in front of her. "Hi, Keikochan! You brought us our homework?"

"Yeah."

"Did you bring us anything else?" Momiji asked eagerly.

"Sorry, not this time, I burned the cookies I was making for you in home economics and you know how greedy Takaisan is, so when I got it right he took them. I'll make you some at home during the weekend."

"Oh, drat!" Momiji said snapping his fingers. "I can't wait 'til we graduate I'm going to give that jerk a piece of my mind."

"Are you sure you want to do that?" Hatsuharu asked joining in the conversation. "I mean you really should be thanking him."

"For what?" Momiji laughed.

"He did eat your cooking after all."

"Haru, that's mean!" Momiji whined. Hatsuharu just chuckled to himself and turned his attention back to the television.

"Oh, well here's your homework." Keiko said handing the blond haired boy a small stack of paper.

"Say, Keikochan hasn't done her homework yet either?"

"No, I haven't."

"Then you can stay and study with us."

"Ok."

"Well come on. Let's get started." Momiji said dragging her over to the heater. "Let's do our algebra assignment first." Momiji said causing Hatsuharu to frown.

"I'll just work on the history assignment instead." Hatsuharu said taking his homework from Momiji.

"Oh, yeah!" Momiji said looking over at Keiko who was sitting on the opposite side of the heater from them. "Haru isn't too good at math so maybe you should sit over here and help him."

"What about you?" Keiko asked as Momiji moved her books to the other side of the table top.

"I'll do just fine. Haru's the one on the verge of a failing grade."

Hatsuharu graoned.

_"Oh no, not again." _Keiko thought as she kneeled down beside Hatsuharu. "Hatsuharusan, are you-."

"Black? No, I'm just embarrassed because Momiji mention my grade." He admitted. "Don't go pushing it, ok?" Hatsuharu said to Momiji who just nodded.

"Uh, well since history is easier for you let's get that out of the way first." Keiko said taking her history book from her bag.

"No, you should do the algebra homework first while you're still full of energy." Momiji insisted. "I'll go make some tea."

"No, you'll just end up coughing all over everything." Hatsuharu said then started coughing himself.

"Speak for yourself." Momiji said sweat dropping. "Keikochan will surely get sick sitting next to you."

"It was your idea. If I really needed help I would have asked Yuki!" Hatsuharu yelled standing up.

_"What in the world is going on here? It's like they're having fun." _Keiko thought as she listened to them argue. _"At least they're not like Yuki and Kyou. Sometimes I think they really do hate each other."_

"Momiji go to your room. Haru don't make me sedate you again." Hatori said entering the room.

"Ah, Hari!" Momiji whined as he went up stairs.

"Yes, sensei." Hatsuharu said sitting down.

"Keiko, I'll take you home now." Hatori said.

"Sensei wait, Keiko was going to help me with my homework." Hatsuharu pleaded. "I hope I haven't offended you. I have a bad habit of running off at the mouth sometimes. Please, stay." He said nearly begging.

"I guess I could stay…" Keiko said hesitantly.

"Fine," Hatori sighed. "But, remember you and Momiji are still on punishment so no goofing off and once your homework is done I'm driving Keiko back to Shigure's."

"Come on Hari!" Momiji said from the stair case. "You said we couldn't leave the house. Keikochan is visiting."

"Considering the fact that you're both sick and shouldn't go anywhere in the first place I'm going easy on you. Now, up stairs."

"Party pooper," Momiji grumbled as he finally went to his room and closed the door.

"Wonder who else decided to drop by?" Hatori said leaving to answer the door when he heard the door bell rang again.

"Something's up." Hatsuharu said holding his pencil thoughtfully.

"Huh?"

"Sensei can be a hard case sometimes, but something seems to have recently gotten under his skin. I know he saw Akito earlier today. Perhaps something happened then. Is something the matter?" Hatsuharu asked seeing the troubled expression on Keiko's face.

"No, not at all." Keiko said regaining her composure. _"He hasn't noticed but I'm still shaking. I think it may be best to avoid the main Sohma estate for a while and pretend that kiss never happened."_

"Shigure?" Hatori said surprised to see his cousin for the second time that day.

"Evening Haasan," Shigure said with a huge smile.

"You're awfully cheerful this evening."

"Is Keiko here?" Shigure asked moving toward the inside of the house, but before he could get a toe in Hatori stopped him.

"Outside," Hatori said pushing him back and closing the door. "Let's go for a walk."

"Um, you're not going to make me an offer I can't refuse are you?"

"Keep moving." Hatori ordered. Once they were outside the main gate Hatori spoke. "To be fair I'll answer your question first. Yes, Keiko is at my house; she's helping Hatsuharu with his homework at this moment and I suppose it was only by chance that Akito accompanied her there."

"Oh? Is that so?"

"Play dumb all you want. I know you had something to do with it."

"Don't you think you're worrying over nothing?"

"For her sake as well as your own I pray that you are right."

"Can't you open your mind to the possibility that Akito has a genuine interest in a young woman?"

"Look, I didn't bring you out here to argue. Just be careful not to get caught up in a tidal wave. Even if he does have a genuine interest in Keiko no amount of manipulation on your part or his can make her return those feelings in earnest."

"Manipulation? I rather call it setting the atmosphere; a chance meeting here a candle lit dinner there-."

"Stop fantasizing, you dolt." Hatori said then looking to his side. "It's disgusting."

"You sound angry. Are you jealous? Oh, I get it you were trying to set up Haakun and Keikochan weren't you?"

"Don't be ridiculous."

"Then why did we need to leave them alone?"

"We left the house to avoid being overheard. Keiko is a nice young lady, but unlike Tohru she has a bit of a mean streak if you haven't noticed. I don't mean to sound as if I'm joking here but Akito is one thing; to make a woman angry with you is another."

"Oh, Keikokun gets angry at me all the time." Shigure laughed waving his hand.

"Laugh all you want but I have no doubt if she had any idea what you were up to-."

"Ah, there you go again." Shigure interrupted putting his arm around the Dragon's neck. "Let's go have a drink, on me."

"Is that your solution to everything; getting drunk?"

_"If it will shut you up, which it usually does." _Shigure thought and burst into hysterical laughter.

_"She's smart, just like Yuki, beautiful, and funny. I wonder how strong she is?"_ Hatsuharu thought half listening to Keiko as she instructed in him on how to solve a quadratic equation.

"Do you understand?" She asked cheerfully.

"Uh… No…" Hatsuharu shamefully admitted. "I guess it's just a waste of time. I'll never get it."

"Don't say that. Some things just take more time than others."

"You're trying to make me feel better about being dumb aren't you?"

"I don't think you're dumb. If that's the case I guess I'm the dumbest person on the planet. I can't boil rice without burning it half the time."

_"That's bad." _Hatsuharu thought.

"However, lately with Tohru's help I haven't burned a grain for while now. It's easy for me to pick up a foreign language or when it comes to martial arts, but for some reason I really suck when it comes to cooking."

"You study martial arts?" Hatsuharu said perking up.

"Mm-mm, that's right."

"What level are you?"

"I'm a black belt. Why?"

_"Wow, I can't believe it?"_ Hatsuharu thought starry eyed. "Do you think you could show me any tricks to use on Kyou?"

"Kyou? You two spare a lot?"

"You can call it that."

"Um, well I don't think there are any tricks I can show you, but I believe that defense is the key to winning a match."

"Darn it, I was hoping you could tip me off on how to beat him."

"If you don't mind me asking, what level are you?"

"Oh, I'm a black belt too, but whenever we fight, I mean spare Kyou always beats me."

"Hmm, let's go a round and let's see where your trouble lays."

"You mean you want me to fight you?" Hatsuharu asked wide eyed.

"Don't worry about it. I'm tougher than I look." Keiko smiled.

"Um, okay." Hatsuharu said standing and moving away from the heater.

"Whenever you are ready come at me."

"Okay." Hatsuharu said taking a half hearted swing at her and found himself penned face down on the floor faster than he could blink. "What happened?" He uttered.

"Well for one you weren't really trying and two I could read your move. Even if you really did try to hit me you would not have been able to, you're too predictable."

"Guess I need to train more, but can we please not do this again."

"Why not?"

"For one I don't like fighting girls even when I go black and two you're hurting me."

"I am?" Keiko sweat dropped. She was holding Hatsuharu down with one hand pressed firmly against his back. "Sorry." Keiko said quickly releasing him. _"He seems like a gentler person than he was the other day. It's unbelievable how such a mild mannered person can change so much."_

A minute later they could hear the door opening and closing; the sound of something heavy hitting the floor then followed. The two looked at each other as if to say; what was that? They ran to the front door to find Shigure holding Hatori around the waist with one arm as he held the doctor's arm hanging loosely around the Dog's neck. "Finished studying?" Shigure asked nervously, but neither responded as they continued to stare. "I bet you're wondering why Haasan here can't stand on his own two feet." Hatsuharu and Keiko both nodded curiously even though they had a pretty good guess as to what happened.

"Poor over worked Haasan passed out while we were walking around. Poor thing must be exhausted." Shigure said lifting him over his shoulders.

"Mm-mm… You got him drunk didn't you?" Hatsuharu said.

"You're kidding, right?" The Dog smiled.

"Hatorisensei doesn't drink often. No doubt you spiked whatever he was drinking. He's going to kill you when he wakes up."

"You don't say." Shigure said continuing to smile. _"How'd he guess? Either way I better get him to bed before he becomes conscious."_ He thought as he carried the man to his room. Little did he know Hatori was wide awake as he carried him.

_"So close and yet so far," _Hatori thought as he imagined himself kicking Shigure right in the behind. As soon as the door to his room closed the two teenagers heard Shigure yelling, crashing, what sounded like an explosion, and lastly the sound of Shiugre laughing hysterically.

"What did you do?" Keiko asked when the novelist came running into the living room.

"Well, he was mad at me like Haakun predicted. Then, well… Haakun you may want to stir clear of Haasan for tonight; just let him be alone for a while." Shigure said in a serious tone the cracked up laughing again.

"I hope I was some help to you." Keiko said bowing. "Good night." She said hurriedly pushing Shigure out the house.

"Keikochan, I hear that you went on a date with Akito today." Shigure said as they walked.

"Date?" Keiko said nearly choking. "No, no date he just walked with me to Hatori's house."

"Really? There was nothing romantic about it?"

_"Nerve racking is more like it." _Keiko thought. "Would you consider this a romantic walk?" Keiko asked. Shigure smiled with a mischievous look in his eyes. "Uh, forget I asked." Keiko said then turned away.

"To answer your question honestly this more like one of those warm and fuzzy moments. You know; when two people confide in one another. As for a simple thing like two people walking together being romantic that depends on if there is a mutual attraction between them." Shigure said then stopped walking.

"What's wrong?" Keiko asked a few feet ahead of him.

"I was just thinking how cute that blushing face looks on you." Shigure smiled.

"I was sitting at the heater for the last two hours and it was on high by the way." Keiko said defensively.

"Oh, is that so? For a minute there I almost thought you weren't being completely honest about your date, I mean walk with Akito."

Keiko stopped walking and placed her hands on either side of her head. _"I can't take this." _She thought feeling as if her head would explode. _"I've got to get my act together. Shigure is poking fun as usual but he suspects something. Still, it's all too coincidental." _Sighing Keiko brought her hands down to her sides.

"Oh, Keikokun," Shigure said turning around. He had just realized she was not walking beside him and was a few yards away from where he was standing.

"Did you have something to do with it," Keiko asked as she approached him, "Me and Akitosan meeting today?"

_"Damn! Caught already, well Hatori did warn me."_ Shigure thought as he quickly devised an answer to the teen's question. "You're suspecting me?" He said with a slight mischievous smile. "You're awfully defensive for someone who only walked with Akito." Keiko's face turned a deep shade of red. "I'll answer your question if you tell me what really happened between you and Akito." Shigure said in a hushed voice.

Keiko paused to think about the Dog's proposition. He was right in saying she was behaving far too defensive. At the moment Keiko's emotions were a mixed whirlwind and seemed to be getting the better of her. Perhaps she was too hasty in thinking Shigure would be so devious. _"He could have had nothing to do with it and is probably hoping I'll spill my guts to only receive a flat no in return." _Keiko thought then shook her head. "If you're so sure "something happened" then why don't you talk to him about it." Keiko said as they continued walking.

Shigure smirked. _"Well played, well played." _He thought mentally complimenting Keiko on her utter denial.

For the rest of the week Keiko did the best she could to avoid going over to the main house. Having already agreed to bring Hatsuharu and Momiji their homework she found it difficult to do. Though she had not encountered Akito again that week, each time she came to give the two boys their homework she could not shake the feeling that someone was watching her.

Saturday morning Keiko woke up later than everyone else. After getting dressed and groggily coming down stairs she found that even Yuki was up and about; wide awake. "Morning," Yuki smiled as Keiko came into the kitchen. "You're up late."

"I couldn't sleep." She answered.

"You haven't been yourself lately. Is something wrong?"

Keiko turned and looked at Yuki after pulling an empty milk carton from the refrigerator. "No." She answered then pulled out some left over rice from the previous night.

"Are you sure?" Yuki asked taking the bowel of rice from her hands.

"Yuki, I-." Keiko started, ready to tell him everything when Tohru walked in.

"Did I interrupt something?" She asked feeling the tension in the room when she stepped in.

"No. No, you didn't." Keiko said leaving, the courage slipping away as fast it came to tell her friend what was bothering her.

Keiko was on her way out the front door when something hit her and sent her sliding on her back across the floor. Hearing the commotion Shigure was the first to arrive on the scene.

"My love where are you, my love?" Kagura said looking about oblivious to what she had done.

"Kagura…" Shigure said shaking his head.

"Shiichan, where is he?" Kagura asked with tearful eyes.

"Kagura," Kyou exclaimed when he came into the room and saw her. Beads of sweat started to form on his brow as she approached him.

"Morning, Kyoukun." She said calmly greeting him.

"Oh, Kagura, good morning," Yuki said as he and Tohru came into the room.

"Yunchan," Kagura said tearfully.

"Yes?"

"I MISSED YOU SO MUCH!" With that everyone sweat dropped as they watched Kagura pounce on Yuki and wrap him in a bone crushing hug.

"This is new." Shigure smirked, "Jealous Kyou?"

"Hell no! I'm glad. I hope they get married and leave me the hell alone." Kyou yelled.

"Ah, Keikokun," Tohru exclaimed seeing her knocked out on the floor then ran to her side. "Are you ok? Wake up," she said shaking the unconscious girl.

"Kagura, what are you doing?" Yuki demanded as he struggled to get free from her grasp.

"Giving you a good morning kiss silly." Kagura said peppering his face with kisses. "That's one because I love you, two because I love you so much, three four five six 'cause I can't get enough!"

"Stop it!" Yuki snapped.

Shigure covered his face giggling. "I hate to have to break up the reunion between you two love birds, but Keikokun is unconscious you know," he said looking in her direction.

"That's… her?" Kagura asked not believing that what she was looking at was a living person. In Kagura's eyes she seemed more like a very life like doll; too beautiful to be human. "How'd she end up like that?"

"Well, you did it when you came in." Shigure pointed out. "It wasn't on purpose?"

"I didn't even see her." Kagura said rushing to Keiko's side nearly in tears.

"So, you're not bothered that Yuki has been spending so much time with her?' Shigure asked coaxingly.

"Shigure," Yuki shouted.

"Oh," Shigure said raising an eyebrow. "My my, what a passionate reaction," The novelist quipped.

"Don't go stirring things up unnecessarily." Yuki warned.

"It's ok. I understand." Kagura said from a kneeled position beside Keiko while Tohru went to get a cold, wet cloth. "I can see why you'd want to be around her so much, since she is so attractive, but that doesn't mean you won't be punished…" Kagura's voice trailed off. "But I don't know if I can bring myself to do it." She said; her gaze softening upon him.

Yuki sweat dropped at her words. "Don't listen to that dog." Yuki said shooting an angry glare at Shigure. "I thought you would know better by now than to go for his bating."

"Then you didn't cheat on me?" Kagura asked her eyes lighting as she ran over to Yuki.

Looking at her for a second Yuki debated weather or not he should give an answer to appease her or try to explain things. Seeing how Kagura seemed to be on the verge of giving him a smack down he choose to appease. "No, I didn't cheat on you." He answered flatly.

"Oooh! That makes me SO HAPPY!" Kagura raged punching Yuki in the face and knocking him out as well. Kyou couldn't help but snicker.

"Oh my love, speak to me? Did it hurt?" Kagura said rocking Yuki in her arms.

"I think that would be a yes." Shigure answered for him.

"I'm sorry, Yunchan, Keikokun." Kagura sincerely apologized. By then Tohru had come back into the room and had placed the wet cloth on Keiko's face waking her up.

"Oh, what happened?" Keiko moaned sitting up. "I was on my way to-." Keiko stopped mid sentence then looked around the room. "Another Juunichi," she said looking over at Kagura.

"That's right!" Kagura said clapping her hands together as she stood letting Yuki's head hit the floor. "So, you're a psychic?"

"Keiko sweat dropped. "I'm Yamada Keiko, nice to meet you." She said greeting Kagura.

"Sohma Kagura, likewise," Kagura said giving a quick bow.

"Can you guess which zodiac she is?" Shigure asked Keiko who was now standing.

"Ummm, the Horse?"

"Nope!" Kagura answered.

"The Cock then," Keiko exclaimed, sure she had guessed it this time.

"Wrong again." Kagura giggled. "I'm the Bore!"

"Ah, I see." Keiko said getting the image of a large black bore in her mind with horns.

"Nope!" Shigure said popping the thought bubble that appeared over Keiko's head. "It's more like this." He said an image of a small brown piglet appearing in a thought bubble over his head.

"Oh, I get it now." Keiko said, "How cute!"

"You think I'm cute?" kagura asked her eyes swelling up with tears.

"Yeah." Keiko nodded.

"You're the best." Kagura said hugging her." At this point Yuki had woken up and was trying to sneak away when Kagura glomped him.

"…But just because we're friends now it doesn't mean I'm going to share him with you." Kagura said keeping a tight hold on Yuki.

Keiko sweat dropped. _"Yuki never said anything about having a girlfriend." _

Yuki signed. "Let go of me Kagura," he said gently pushing her away.

"Yunchan, you jerk!" Kagura shouted smacking him so hard his eyes swirled. When it seemed that he would faint she grabbed him once again. "Shiichan, she called sweetly. "Yes?"

"Can I stay here for the night?"

Shigure gave a small chuckle. "Of course," He answered. "You're welcome to stay here any time you want. Besides that; I'm curious as to why you dumped your former fiancé."

"Oh, that's simple." Kagura said squeezing Yuki even tighter. "I let him go because even though I accept him for everything that he is there is someone else that would be a better match for him," she said somberly. "Besides that I've always thought Yunchan was kind of cute so, now that I'm not engaged to Kyoukun anymore I won't be tempted to cheat on him."

"Who's tempting you?" Yuki asked darkly as Kagura continued to squeeze the stuffing out of him.

"Are you saying you don't want to marry me?" Kagura asked seeming as if she were going to cry.

"Listen Kagura," Yuki said softly, pulling Kagura off and backing up a step. "You're my cousin and I love you, but I will not marry you under any circumstances."

"You what," Kagura shouted.

"You're related to me…" Yuki said.

"So? We're so far apart from each other in terms of being related we probably wouldn't even know about one another if it weren't for curse."

"Even so, I don't just to see you in that way." Yuki said politely as possible.

Silence fell over the room as it seemed Kagura was truly heart broken. "You don't see me… Well I'm going to make see me in that way!" She shouted; violently reaching out for Yuki who ran only to find Kagura close on his heels. "Come back here and promise to marry me!" Kagura yelled as the two ran through the room again into the kitchen. Right before a loud crash the group heard Yuki yell.

"There goes my house again." Shigure sighed. "Lucky I have you here to take care of it." He said smiling at Keiko.

"We should go see if everyone is alright." Tohru said going into the kitchen the rest of the group following.

"I've got you!" Kagura said triumphantly as she incased his body in another suffocating hug.

At this point Yuki had just about had it. Breaking out of Kagura's grasp it seemed as if he were going to say something when it seemed the words became trapped in his throat. His eyes widened in panic as his lungs failed to take in air.

"Yukikun," Keiko and Tohru exclaimed running to his side. Kagura stood in place frozen in horror at what was happening.

"Shigure ran to call Hatori only to find Kyou had already dialed the number and was shoving the phone into his hands before the other end picked up.

"Yunchan," Kagura uttered, tears streaming from her eyes. _"I did this… It's my fault. All because I…"_ She thought as she ran out of the kitchen and into Shigure who held her as she cried.

Later that day, after Hatori had tended to Yuki, Kagura sat in Shigure's room, laying on the floor, curled up beside him as he worked. "He hates me now, I know it." She sobbed.

Shigure stopped typing to look at her. "I'm sure he doesn't." He said as reassuringly as he could muster.

"I-I could have killed him."

"Yukikun, is resting right now, but I'm sure he wouldn't mind seeing you."

"I couldn't. I can't even bare being around the others. They all probably hate me too."

"I'm sure that isn't the case."

"Maybe," Kagura sighed sitting up. "But Keiko, she said I was cute; she probably thinks I'm a monster now- nothing more than some wild animal."

"Don't say things like that."

"I just want someone to love me. I don't know. I wonder sometimes what it would be like if things were different; if none of us were under this curse. Would I still be so desperate?"

"You know, you should be more careful of what you say and who you are saying it to." Shigure smirked leaning close to Kagura.

"Huh?" Kagura uttered not understanding what he meant.

"This is your opportunity to call me names and beat me up."

"Shiichan…" Kagura said her eyes lighting up with joy. "YOU SICK BASTARD!" She roared, pounding him with both of her right fist.

Upstairs in Yuki's room everyone could feel the house shake.

"What was that?" Keiko said.

"Probably Kagura beating the hell out of Shigure," Kyou grumbled from outside the door.

A few minutes later a battered writer sat typing at his computer, while Kagura shyly ventured upstairs. Stopping in front of Yuki's door to knock, it suddenly slid open.

_"It's her." _Kagura thought suddenly feeling inadequate.

"Kagurasan," Keiko said cautiously.

"Is he mad at me?" Kagura asked.

"Mad at you?"

"It's my fault he had an asthma attack. If I hadn't squeezed him so hard, it probably never would have happened."

"Keikochan, why are you just standing there?" Yuki's voice asked raspily. "Is someone there with you?" He said a little clearer sitting up.

"It's Kagurasan." Keiko said pulling her into the room.

"I'm sorry Kagura said, her eyes swelling up with tears once again.

"It's alright. It wasn't your fault." Yuki said giving a small smile.

"Then you're not mad at me?" Kagura asked kneeling beside his bed.

"Of course not. You didn't cause my asthma to flare up." Yuki answered. "Just don't hug me like that anymore ok?"

Keiko stood by the door smiling before quietly leaving the room and closing the door.

"Yunchan…" Kagura started. "Do you really not find me attractive?"

Yuki looked at her and sighed. He didn't know what to say to her. It would have been the perfect opportunity to say "I'm sure you'll find someone better," but how could he honestly say that? How could he give her such reassuring words when he knew for them finding true love was only a hair away from being completely impossible?

"People always say things like "there are plenty of fish in the sea" and that may be true for them; those not born under the curse, but what about us? What options do we truly have outside of the Juunishi?" Kagura said sobbing.

Yuki was at a lose for words. All of his life he fought against the belief that normal people would be utterly revolted by their unusual nature, that perhaps even if people knew of their curse they could live normal lives, but the little voice that raked at his soul always replied "no, you can't". Over time that little voice grew louder, with Akito's help, until it was all that he could hear at times causing depression and self pity to envelop him as he went about his daily life seemingly unfazed by the dark emotions swirling inside him. Putting his arm around Kagura he gave her a gentle hug. "Don't give up." He whispered. "If people like Hondasan and keikochan exist; then I'm sure hope exists." He said with more confidence.

"Is there really?" Kagura asked wiping the tears from her eyes. "What if I do find someone outside of the zodiac? Will Akito allow it?"

Yuki clenched his teeth as the memory of Hatori walking around with a bandaged eye flashed in his mind. The doctor had found love outside of the zodiac, but when the couple came to ask Akito for his permission to be married; he suddenly became violently angry and shattered a nearby vase with such force that shards of clay flew everywhere. Unfortunately for Hatori one of those shards of broken clay cut into his right eye blinding him for the rest of his life. Though he himself was distressed over the maiming Hatori had suffered by his hand Akito never took responsibility for what he had done; instead he blamed Kana, the woman Hatori loved. "It's your fault!" He screamed at her repeatedly and she believed it. It didn't take long for unwarranted feelings of guilt of having hurt the one person she loved more than anyone else consumed her, leaving Hatori with no other choice but to erase her memory of their time together from her mind in order to heal the mental and emotional wounds she had suffered.

"Will you go on denying it until the end?" Kagura's solemn voice came, breaking the silence that had fallen between them. "No matter how far we run, no matter how much we try to pretend, we have to listen to him; we don't have a choice."

_"Why?" _Yuki thought angrily.

That night Kagura was able to sleep soundly between the two girls she called her friends; however that was not the case for Keiko. Still unnerved by what happened the previous day she could not fall asleep. If she had her own bed Keiko more than likely would have been tossing and turning in her restlessness, but mindful that two other people shared the same mattress she stood up and went down stairs. Going outside to the back porch she paced around slowly for about fifteen minutes until she came to a halt, suddenly realizing she wasn't alone.

"I was wondering how long you were going to do that." Kagura said stepping outside.

"Did I wake you up?" Keiko asked.

"Yes and no. I was sleeping until I rolled over out of the bed onto the floor. That wouldn't have happened if you were there."

"Oh." Keiko uttered sweat dropping.

"Just kidding." Kagura chuckled, "but I really did fall out of the bed." I heard you going down stairs and wanted to know what you were up to."

"Can't sleep," Keiko said sitting down.

"Do you mind if I keep you company," Kagura asked sitting next to her.

"No, I don't mind." The two girls sat in silence for a while as the chilled autumn air blew softly in the clear night sky.

"You should stay away from him." Kagura said breaking the silence.

"Don't worry, Yuki is like an older brother to me."

"That's not who I meant." Kagura said biting her lower lip as she kept her gaze on the ground.

"Then who do you mean?"

"Akito," Kagura whispered almost as if she were afraid to speak his name.

"Who," Keiko asked not hearing Kagura's hushed utterance.

"Akito. I was going to see Hatori for a flu shot and I heard them talking…" Kagura paused. "Is it true what he said?"

"What did he say?" Keiko asked as a terrible feeling swelled inside her.

"Did he really kiss you?"

Keiko choked as utter embarrassment sank in. She turned away from Kagura who was still looking downward.

"Ah, I thought so." Kagura sighed. Despite his twisted nature Akito was not one to lie; in his way of thinking the truth was more devastating. Kagura was not all that familiar with the Leader of their clan, but she knew enough to know that Akio was not the type of person that would speak vein words. Every word had a purpose and statement was backed up by action. Still, she was hoping that the conversation she overheard between the doctor and him was nothing more than a joke, because for some reason it cast an uneasy feeling over her, a feeling that made her afraid for the girl she had so quickly befriended. To her and the rest of the Juunichi Akito had been acting strange from his normal self ever since his encounter with Tohru at the main house. It was a welcome change since he seemed to have become seemingly light hearted and even friendly toward them, but at the same time it set a heavy feeling of uncertainty inside them. Could Tohru's words have actually touched him so deeply that he would change so much that he would so easily allow the cat to attend the New Year's banquette and as it would seem to be falling in love with someone, someone who was an outsider to their world? That, though they wanted it to be true, they were not quite sure of.

"So, then does everyone know?" Keiko said feeling her face grow hot.

"I think just Hatori and me by accident." Kagura answered.

"Oh." Keiko said pulling her knees to her face and slumping over.

"He trusts Hatori a lot and probably tells him things he wouldn't tell to the rest of us. What I overheard was a private conversation, something I shouldn't even know about so don't worry I won't tell anyone. Living with the curse, keeping secrets is something you learn to do very early in life and very well."

_"Ever since yesterday evening, I've felt like there is this huge burden on me. Maybe I should have slapped him like I would have anyone else; what he did was totally out of the blue and unexpected and if he had been anyone else I would have slapped him, but he isn't. He's their leader. So, then, does that make it ok for him to behave that way and no one else?"_ Keiko thought. _"No, that's not completely it."_

"Keikokun, are you ok?" Kagura asked now wondering if she should have minded her own business.

"Yes." Keiko answered keeping her back turned.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything."

"No, it's fine." Keiko assured still facing away from her companion. "Akito really isn't a nice person is he?"

"No, he isn't." Kagura answered heavily.

"I see, I didn't think so."

"Well." Kagura sighed as if exhailing. "Are you going back to bed now," she asked standing up.

"No, I'm going to stay out here a little while longer."

"Are you sure? It's kind of chilly." Kagura said shaking as she wrapped her arms around herself.

"Mm-mm, I'll be ok."

"Alright then, good night," Kagura said going inside the house.


End file.
